Glory's Casket
by orangepotato
Summary: The journey of Tethe'alla's Chosens' had always been predictable, and if it wasn't for the onslaught of Desians and growing conspiracies, Kratos wouldn't have thought this one would be any different.
1. Chapter 1

Thanks to a very special "angel buddy", this story began. Ever since, Emil Lime and I have been formulating it, shaping it and creating it. Now, as a co-write between the two of us, the story is ready to be told. Each chapter is from varying points of view from different characters, the heading at the beginning signifying the change. Who wrote each chapter will be stated at the top.

Cover art is borrowed from: member_ ?mode=medium&illust_id=27848746.

Reviews are always welcome.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

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_Chapter by Emil Lime_

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_**Kratos Aurion: Chosen Project (Tethe'alla), Status-Incomplete**_

_Could she be the one?_

Shutting off the valve for the water, the auburn stepped out of the shower. His ears caught the sound of ticking water droplets as they made their first and final decent onto the tile below. Holding back the urge to sigh, he headed to the large mirror and smudged the steam off of it.

Kratos Aurion, an angel of Cruxis and an escort of the Chosens, stared back, eyes empty. He recalled the conversation he'd had with his leader not more than 30 minutes ago, the blonde's eyes glowing with an oddly 'alive' quality.

_She could be the one, Kratos. She could be the one who becomes Martel's vessel…_

Shaking his head, he turned away from his reflection and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist. Heading into his overly gray room, he pulled open his wardrobe and glanced at the few articles that existed there.

She was the Chosen of Tethe'alla, meaning he'd need to look as if he hailed from that world. Holding back another tired sigh, he grabbed the belted uniform he'd become so accustomed too. It'd been so long since he'd needed to travel to Sylvarant, counting it'd been flourishing for nearly 800 years now.

Every Chosen Kratos had attempted to escort in Tethe'alla had lost their life to the Renegades or to monsters. It'd not only frustrated him but his leader as well, whom turned and blamed it on Kratos. That usually ended with the killing of several lifeless beings and a grunted apology from the leader once his temper had stopped flaring.

Strapping the last of his belts together, he glanced at himself in the mirror that hung on the wardrobe door. Like always, he looked pristine and ready to head into the world of Tethe'alla. Kratos went to his desk and picked up the manila envelope that sat on the top of his growing stack.

Opening it, he pulled out the large picture and examined it closely. Her red hair, long in front and short in the back, curled gently onto her chest. Ocean colored eyes were looking off somewhere, like someone had grabbed her attention right as the photo was being taken.

He frowned. She would be excepting the oracle within a matter of hours, readying herself for the Journey of Regeneration a short time after that.

Kratos forced down all of the hope that was welling in his stomach. If there was one thing the angel had learned to avoid doing, it was allowing himself to be whisked away by hope. So many times before, his leader, Lord Yggdrasill, had believed it was finally their time. Kratos, foolishly, had allowed himself to believe that as well, only to feel the painful stab of failure when the Chosen died or didn't match the signature.

This time, he wouldn't let himself be carried away. He'd stay grounded, no matter how close she got. At any moment, this Chosen could die on him, leaving the emptiness he'd come to expect from the task of escorting the Chosen.

She was a Chosen and nothing more.

Kratos put the picture away, not bothering to look at the thick packet of intelligence that'd been collected on her since she was young. He didn't want to get that personal with her, any of them for that matter. Living for so long had created a hard shell around him, even he knew that. Knowing about this Chosen would only make him soft for her, make it harder to except the eventuality of her death, rather by monster's fangs or by Regeneration.

Gingerly, he placed the packet on the top of his stack, swearing to himself he'd clean off his desk when he got back. Walking out of his overly bland room, he entered the overly bland hallway, his feet taking him along the all-to-familiar pathway.

How many times had he walked this path? He supposed the real question was how many more times would he be forced to walk it.

His musings were halted when he heard footsteps behind him, ones that he'd recognize anywhere.

"Heading out, Kratos?"

"Yes, Yuan. Another Chosen is about to receive the oracle."

"I see. I'd heard one was coming of age soon."

The sound of feet scraping the ground, as if Yuan were moving from side to side, caught Kratos' attention, though he didn't turn around. Other than that sound, silence travelled between them, neither adding anything to the conversation at hand.

Finally, the auburn spoke, "I should be going."

"Right," Yuan sounded tired, more tired than usual, and heaved a sigh, "Good luck."

He didn't say anything, just nodding to satisfy the end of their dialog. There was nothing to say anyway. Stepping forward, he headed towards the warp that would lead him down the Tower of Salvation. He could hear Yuan as he turned and headed back the way he'd come from.

The warp activated under the angel's feet, its glow catching and casting shadows. He imagined the Chosen, her name leaving his lips as he activated it and headed landward, "Ilene Capella."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: To get things rolling, we decided to post a few more chapters on this story to introduce the characters. Then we're thinking of updating every Friday, since that's when we originally published the story.

I hope that you'll like the chapter! If so, please review! They always mean so much, even if they're short things like, 'awesome!' or 'looks interesting'.

Enjoy,

Emil Lime and Orangepotato

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_Chapter written by Orangepotato_

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_**Holtz Capella: Now's hardly the time for an adventure…**_

The room was dark, drapes obscuring the wide window that was at the opposite end of the room. Rich oak wood served as the floor, a thin red rug fluffing around the wooden bed frame where Holtz Capella laid.

Sleep tugged at his mind, though something in his brain was telling him that it was morning.

_Something important is supposed to happen today…_

The thought weaseled around inside his head as he tossed in his bed, slipping a hand under the plush pillow he rested on.

His other hand tugged at the blanket that was wrapped around his contorted body. It was stuck, the entirety of the blanket wrapped around various limbs and finally coming up short near his shoulders. With a grunt, he tugged on the fabric again, groaning as it didn't budge.

"Damn blanket…"

He could almost hear the Priests admonishing his language in his head as he tossed and turned, flailing to free himself.

_It's very important._

The thought struck him, but he remained in his blissful, yet disturbed, slumber, as he wriggled around.

_Important!_

He twisted around one final time, slipping off his bed and hitting the floor with a solid _bam! _He let out a soft curse, feeling his shoulder throb from the impact.

Sitting up, he glanced around the room, blanket still tied around him.

Holtz rubbed his head, shoving his fingers through his mess of deep red locks and regarded the room.

From below the curtains, he could see white beams of light. Each radiated off the wooden floor, illuminating the room as if a candle was lit. He glared at the light before wrestling himself out of the blankets and strolling towards the window.

With a flick of his wrist, he tugged the curtain open to see the courtyard.

The cobble stone streets greeted his ash colored eyes and from beyond the courtyard wall, people were milling around busy with their own lives. Several shops were opened nearby, delicious looking foods stocked on the shelves that he could see.

Drawing his eyes back to the courtyard, he spotted the white polished fountain spewing bluish water down into the basin below. Around it, the Head Priest, an aging man by the name of Reverend and the Prime Minister, an oblong man that reminded Holtz of a jelly donut, spoke quietly outside.

With a smirk, the mischievous red head opened the windows so their words graced his ears.

"It's almost time. It's a shame what has to happened, but I just feel like it's the right thing to do," Reverend spoke. His words came out slowly, like he considered each one before speaking it.

The Prime Minister nodded, words coming out of the folds of his face, "Ignorance is bliss, as they say. By the way, I informed the mercenary about thatin my letter to him."

A slow, sad nod came from Reverend, "Good. It's best kept a secret. The Journey of Regeneration –"

_Damn it! _That was what he'd forgotten! Ilene's Journey started today and he'd slept in-

In the courtyard walked a stoic man, auburn hair spiked on his head and outfit pristine. His rust colored eyes rested on the two holy men in the center of the yard, though he didn't speak. As he approached, the two greeted him.

"Sir Kratos," the Prime Minister's high voice gushed as he regarded the man.

"We're glad you're here," Reverend bowed deeply, "The Chosen is prepared, Sir Kratos."

"Shit," Holtz whispered, dashing from the window and running through his door. Of course today was the day the Oracle was supposed to descend from the sky. Of course he'd sleep in on the most important day of Ilene's life…

He shoved her room door open without knocking, shouting into the room, "Sister, I'm so sorry!"

The room, however, was empty. The bed was made up, everything of value gone. It wasn't his sister's room anymore. The pictures and drawings that had hung from the walls, the books she'd stacked precariously on her desk… they were gone.

It was empty.

Sorrow filled him, thoughts flying back to the night before. They'd fought over whether he'd be able to join her on the journey and now, the words weighed him down as he moved over to the window and glanced out at the courtyard.

There, by the fountain, was Ilene. However, the person next to her was what caught Holtz' attention. The tall man, thin though muscular, stood nearby. The priests had said something about a mercenary? Auburn hair covered the man's face, but his intense wine colored eyes peered up at Holtz, the two glaring at each other for just one second in time and then, the man turned away.

Holtz was left, heart hammering in his chest painfully, as fear coursed through his veins.

_There's really something… _Holtz thought, _that I don't like about those eyes._


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: The idea behind Ilene's personality is that she's a mix of Martel and Colette, with a bit of Zelos zaniness in there. However, as the journey continues, she's going to change a lot. Both Emil Lime and I believe that all of the Chosens' had to have similar traits, especially ones with close mana signatures to Martel.

Anyways, enjoy the chapter. Remember to leave a review if you liked it, even if it's short like, 'cool!' or 'interesting concept.' Reviews are always appreciated, they really make writing this story worthwhile.

Enjoy,

Emil Lime and Orangepotato

* * *

_Chapter written by Orangepotato_

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_**Ilene Capella: As the Chosen, it's my duty to save this world…**_

Ilene stared at the wooden door in front of her.

Her heart fluttered in her chest, nausea swirling in her stomach. It was through sheer will that she was still standing there, not running back to her room. The idea itself was pleasant, just going back to the years where her journey was nothing but a distant call in her darkest dreams...

Back to before, when she could spend an hour waking up, where Holtz and her could sneak into Mass or explore the expansive basement of the Church. Even the simple nights where they both stayed up late, talking about what they liked, what they missed, what they wanted…

Something shifted outside the door and Ilene stiffened.

Shaking her head, she knew she couldn't be thinking like that. She was the Chosen of Regeneration. There were so many people who needed her help, needed her to bring Mana back into the land and rid the world of the Desians… simple wishes like hers simply weren't important.

Besides, as an angel, she could do more than she could possibly manage as a human.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, the courtyard greeting her eyes. The sunlight filtered down from the clear blue sky, reflecting off the light colored bricks and the bubbling water sprouting from the fountain.

Standing in front of the fountain were the two heads of the Church as well as a man she didn't know. However, as she approached, the heads of the Church moved in front of him so they could speak to Ilene personally.

"Reverend," she spoke, giving a soft curtsy, "Prime Minster." She stopped in front of them, smiling through the dismal atmosphere.

The Prime Minister, a tall circular man, gave her a sad smile but a firm hand gripped her shoulder, "Hello Chosen One. I pray you had a good sleep."

She nodded, "I did. I hope yours was as well."

He gave a small chuckle, "I wish is had been, dear one."

Reverend spoke up next, "It's always sad when a young Chosen is about to leave on the Journey of Regeneration. There have been far too many…"

"Then let us hope," Ilene said, "that I'll be the last."

The two seemed happy with her statement, though it didn't ease any of the sorrow or anticipation on their faces. They were both obviously worried about the months ahead.

Ilene would've been lying if she said she wasn't apprehensive about the Journey, too. Over the years, during their morning lessons, while Holtz was taken away by some of the monks, she'd been told about the horrors that her Journey would include.

As well as all of the things she'd have to sacrifice in order to become an angel.

Her taste, her need to sleep, her touch, her voice…

And _then_ she'd ascend into heaven, thus bringing Mana back into the land and saving the world.

It was almost every day she'd been reminded of the burden that she carried by her birth right and the things that she'd have to be willing to give up in order to become an angel.

Even as she thought over the Priests familiar words again, the same feeling crept into her mind. It always felt like they were leaving something out. Like they'd forgotten to include something far worse than any of the other trials…

The way their faces always turned gruesome or sad, how they got quiet at her constant probing and how they rushed to focus on the positives of her Journey opposed to the negatives…

"Ilene," Reverend's voice broke through her thoughts, tugging her attention back to the present and to the presence of the stranger nearby.

A soft breeze rustled through the air, catching on her dress and twisting her loose red curls. A few stray leaves from the yard over floated on the invisible ride, fluttering to the feet of the tall man behind them.

He had a serious face, part of it obscured by auburn bangs that also brushed his shoulders. His clothes were a combination of white and purple cloth and brown belts which crisscrossed his body. A sword hung loosely at his left side, one hand resting on the hilt.

He made quite the impression.

Ilene felt a new tension run through her body. He hadn't seemed nearly as intimidating from far away.

He spoke curtly, noticing everyone's attention was on him, "Prime Minister. Head Priest."

Reverend nodded to the man formally and then regarded Ilene, "Chosen One, this is Kratos Aurion. We've hired him to help you in your Journey."

She felt a small bout of fear form in her stomach, feeling the mercenary's eyes drill into her, "I thought some of the Priests were coming with me."

"They are," the Prime Minister answered, "but we thought it would be appropriate for someone with battles skills to join you. The Journey is dangerous and we don't want your life to be threatened."

Deep blue eyes glanced over to the stoic man. He _looked _like he had battle skills, but he seemed so impersonal. She'd been thinking that familiar priests would be the only ones accompanying her. The ones who were aware of her feelings and her fears…

But Reverend and the Prime Minster were right. The facts were undeniable. Several Chosens had failed, killed while on the Journey.

Sighing, she accepted it. Kratos Aurion would be accompanying them on the Journey. Through the tension still plagued her body, a small amount of appreciation filled her. She didn't want to die. She wanted to save the world, to allow the Chosen who was destined to be born after her to live without the fear of sharing the same sacrifices…

She curtsied and said, "It's an honor, Mr. Aurion."

The man only made a soft noise and nodded, glancing up to the Church. His attention stayed there for a moment, making Ilene turn to face what he was looking at.

"What?" She whispered, looking over the glass windows and solid brick exterior. Just as she heard Kratos shuffle a bit and speak lowly to the Prime Minster, her blue eyes caught sight of someone in the window.

Her heart hammered a bit harder in her chest, "Holtz." It was like a stab of pain as she realized he was upset. She hadn't said goodbye, she hadn't even bothered to wake him. With the chances of failure, she hadn't had the heart to bid him farewell.

He'd been adamant that he'd wanted to join in on the Journey, but she'd told him time and again that he couldn't.

She knew, even after he had said _Alright, fine. I won't go. Just shut up about it. _He hadn't meant it. Being her brother, she knew when he was lying. She knew that he had still been desperate to accompany them.

He scowled, though not at her. His gray eyes were focused on the mercenary behind her.

With a small smile, she turned back towards Kratos and the Priests, "We should be leaving."

Reverend heaved a sigh and nodded, "It's only a matter of time till the Oracle arrives. We'll be waiting for your success, Chosen one." He moved towards her and grasped her hands between his. There was sadness in his eyes, tears obviously threatening them.

She only smiled reassuringly, lying to herself that everything was going to be alright.

As Reverend moved away, the Prime Minister swallowed hard and put a hand on her shoulder, "Take care of yourself, Ilene. And may the Goddess Martel protect you on your Journey."

"Take care of Holtz, Prime Minister."

The man nodded, "I will. I promise."

"And I promise I'll save this world." The words rang in her head, dispelling the doubt that had crept in. Even if she was apprehensive, even if she still felt like running back to her room, back to _before_, courage filled her heart.

The entire world was counting on her.

She watched as several priests came into the courtyard, all dressed for travel. They were heading for the temple of the Goddess Martel which was settled outside of the city. After that, it was off into the expanse of the world… this would be the last time she'd see Meltokio as herself.

The next time she'd see it, she'd be an angel.

She'd have saved the world.

"Come on," she smiled to Kratos and then to the priests, "Let's go." She stepped across the courtyard and walked through the open gates. Her first steps past the walls of the Church, her first steps on her journey, her first steps towards her destiny.


	4. Chapter 4

_****_A/N: As promised, the next chapter is up. If we get several more chapters written, we might start updating biweekly, but we'll just see. Thanks to **Just a Reviewer** and **Curls923** for the awesome reviews and thanks to our readers out there! All of your support is what keeps us going. Things will start picking up now that the stage is set, so if you like it so far, feel free to drop a review in the box below. Even if it's a short 'great job' or 'interesting story'.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

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_Chapter by Emil Lime_

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_**Kratos Aurion: Chosen Project (Tethe'alla), Status-Incomplete**_

He was happy to be leaving Meltokio, the city of his birth a little over 3000 years ago. Even now, it remained the largest city in Tethe'alla. It always felt so impersonal, something that bothered Kratos for some reason.

Pushing that thought to the back of his head, he wandered behind the large band of priests; Ilene shuffled in the middle of them. She and a few of them were sharing a pleasant conversation, one that Kratos didn't bother listening too. His mind was too busy mulling over the set of eyes he'd seen through one of the windows.

Grey eyes, steely and cold, had been glaring down at him from high above. Upon him noticing them, though, they quickly left the window, curtain swishing back into its proper place. Kratos wasn't sure who that person had been, nor did he know if they were at all worth his consideration. There was just something dangerous in those eyes, something that was rather unwelcoming.

Shaking his head slightly, he deemed the individual to be unimportant. Most likely, it was some other orphaned child within the sanction of the church walls, glaring down at him because they didn't know his face.

It didn't take them long to reach the temple, it's tall, stain-glass windows glimmering in the morning sunlight. The grass around it was still covered in dew, undisturbed by monster or man. It was silent as well, not even the song of birds floating overhead.

That fact seemed to unnerve some of the priests, whose eyes travelled from side to side as if searching out the source of the silence.

"Is this the place?" One of them asked, being one of the younger priests. He received some nods from the oldest ones, Ilene stepping to the front of the group. There was a determination in her step, as well as fear.

Kratos could see the way her hands quivered as she reached forward, pushing the large, wooden door open to reveal a musty, dank room within. Stairs circled around the sides. Several long hallways spanned forward, descending into darkness before becoming invisible entirely. They stepped in, each of them gathering in the front hall before one of them closed the door behind them.

"Sir Kratos, do you think we'll be done here shortly?"

Giving a nod, he ignored the fact that the priest's voice was shaking. It was natural, he knew, for those with no fighting experience to be terrified of leaving the safety of the city. Even as he looked at the Chosen, he could see the anticipation gathering in her limbs. Although her eyes scanned the tall walls and ceiling, she held herself, arms wrapped about her body despite the unexpectedly warm day within the huddle of cold days which spanned the coming season.

He let his eyes travel to the ceiling, vision soaking up the faded painting of Martel and their depiction of the four Seraphim. For some reason, they were always depicted as animal-human hybrids, large white wings swooping from their backs. One such creature was a lion-man, his might golden mane tangled behind him, shield and sword raised in his mighty paw, glowing golden eyes looking down at them as he guarded the Goddess. Another, a snake-man who coiled around Martel protectively, held its green eyes firmly towards its Goddess. There was the mighty bird-man, whose wings, both angelic and bird, fluttered about, spreading across the entire depiction. The last, the one that unnerved Kratos the most, was the dog-man, eyes fixed on the Goddess, back turned to the other Seraphim.

It was then that he felt it, something irregular in the air. Despite the typical presence of monsters, there was something else lingering there. Taking his eyes away from the mural, he mentally filed through everything he'd ever sensed, seeking what had just crossed his path.

Looking back at Ilene, who was discussing something intently with a rather portly priest, he found out what it was he was feeling. The presence was almost screaming at him now, the presence of half-elves.

Was it the Renegades?

He'd had his share of run-ins with the Renegades, but never this early on a trip. It was like they avoided temples and seals, anywhere that angels frequented, almost like they knew it'd be sacrilegious to kill the Chosen in a holy place. But they were the only explanation Kratos had as to why he could sense half-elves. Even though it was weak, it felt as if there were many of them off in the distance somewhere.

For some reason, it was making Kratos nervous.

Tucking that feeling into the back of his head, he pointed forward. "Let us be off, Chosen."

"Wait," she said, stepping towards Kratos and looking at him for the first time since departing, "I want a weapon."

Raising an eyebrow ever-so-slightly, Kratos spoke, "A weapon, Chosen? I'm afraid that I cannot allow you to put yourself in such danger."

Her response was quick, "I know how to fight." Determination was set in her eyes; apparently she'd already made peace with the danger of throwing herself into battle. Or maybe, he mused, she'd made peace with the idea that she wasn't going to die without a fight. At the very least, if someone or something was going to take her life, she'd leave them a scar or two to remember her by.

Letting out a small sigh, Kratos nodded, "As you wish, Chosen." He'd fought alongside Chosens before and this wouldn't be any different. Motioning to a priest, who gave the mercenary a scowl but dug into his bag anyway, the holy man pulled out one of the many spare swords they'd brought along for the journey.

Taking it with a nod, the mercenary unsheathed it and examined it. It was rather dull, still usable but dull, and there were several signs of use. Scrapes and deep scratches marred its once pristine surface, the grip torn and wearing thin in some places.

It would work, however. After all, he didn't know to what extent Ilene could fight. The last thing he needed was a liability. Especially for the C_hosen_ to be a liability.

Handing her the blade with one hand and the sheath with the other, she took it solidly and gave it a tentative swing. Deeming it satisfactory as well, she started forward, Kratos close behind. Giving one last thought to the area surrounding them, the auburn could feel the half-elves getting closer, moving so slow it'd be nearly impossible for a mortal to hear them approach.

He'd never known them to be so stealthy, every time sacrificing golden opportunities to attack head on. They believed they had power in numbers, something only a small, newly built rebellion, which they happened to be, could conceive as a good plan.

So this...this was something new.

Kratos didn't like new.

Regardless, the mercenary would wait them out. After all, it was impossible to catch an angel by surprise.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter by Orangepotato_

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_**Ilene Capella: As the Chosen, it's my duty to save this world…**_

She kept Kratos' pace, sword clenched in her hands.

The temple was spooky, cobwebs covering the ceiling and dust circling behind her with each step. The smell of decay was obvious, almost making Ilene gag. She'd never smelled something so rancid before, but now it felt like it was acidic, eating away at her skin as they walked deeper and deeper into the temple.

"This used to be a temple for the Goddess?" Her voice came out as a whisper, but one of the preachers heard her.

"Long ago it was built in her honor. However, it was abandoned when monsters started roaming around. Since it's not inside the city's protective walls, it became impossible to protect." The man's voice shook as he explained, only adding to Ilene's unease.

_Isn't this supposed to be a holy place?_

She didn't want to think about what kind of monsters would be strong enough to penetrate Martel's sacred barrier. Instead, she refocused her thoughts, glancing around for anything unusual. She'd trained with her brother, Holtz, for many years. Even though this was her first experience with real monsters, the techniques were the same.

_Always remain vigilant, _he'd said, right before Ilene would playfully poke him in the side with her weapon.

_You're guards down. _She'd state with a smirk.

_Just because I was talking to you, sis, _was always his response.

"Chosen!"

Kratos' warning shout caught Ilene off guard, making her jolt. It was then that she noticed the trouble that they were in. Several monsters surrounded them, beady eyes glaring. One had darted straight for her, the mercenary giving a shout just in time for her to throw up her sword and block the monster's assault with a _clang_.

She swung out, the tip slicing through the monster's forehead. Blood spilled on the ground, the rest of the enemies dashing forward.

Ilene took a deep breath, throwing up her guard and deflecting an assault from a clawed demon and cutting one of its arms off in a twirl. Just as she finished it off, she sliced her blade across the air, cutting another monster's barrel shaped chest, black blood oozing out of it.

Kratos seemed to be handling himself well, fending off monsters as he protected many of the priests. Most had flocked over to him by now, fearful of the creatures that crawled from the darkness to devour them.

One, however, remained close to Ilene.

"Chosen one," he whispered as she killed another monster.

"Get to Mr. Aurion," she said, blocking a fireball that a creature had spat. It dissipated in the air, "Hurry." The man nodded and hurried past her as she blocked yet another fireball. The disgusting looking monster that had shot the magic glared at her with beady eyes, scurrying towards her on multiple legs in anger.

Jumping out of the way, she heard Kratos shout off a spell.

"Create blades of wind around my enemy… Wind blade!"

Mana swelled around the monster, green energy surging forth and cleaving the monster multiple ways. Dark red ooze splattered out of it as Ilene moved away from the mess, keeping her sword up in a defensive stance. As soon as the attack was over, the creature gurgled and collapsed to the ground, pieces of it landing near the Chosen's feet.

Swallowing back a bit of bile that rose to her throat, she glanced up at Kratos and the priests.

The monsters had been destroyed. Everyone was safe.

One of the priests spoke up, "We survived!"

A few others cheered, but Kratos, the one who'd done most of the work, remained silent. His rust colored eyes stared hard at Ilene. She could tell he was judging whether or not he regretted giving her a sword.

As if to prove it to him, she swung the blood off her blade and walked forward, carefully stepping over the carnage left in their wake.

"Thank you for the warning, Mr. Aurion," she gave him an honest smile. She didn't let his questioning worry her. If she wanted him to believe she was capable of handling a weapon, she'd have to prove it to him.

After a long pause, he simply nodded and sheathed his weapon.

Half an hour passed uneventfully after that, Ilene keeping her wits about her as she regarded the ever darkening temple. It was creepy. When they'd first started out, the torches they lit in front of them seemed to do the trick, but as they crept deeper into the forgotten temple, it seemed the flickering red flame couldn't stand up against the inky darkness.

"Keep close," Kratos said into the silence that group had fallen into, "We're getting close to the heart of the temple."

One of the priests whispered, "It's almost time for the Oracle to arrive."

Another continued, "Yes, an angel will descend, just like last time…"

Ilene ignored the hovering statement: _hopefully the Chosen will succeed this time._

Minutes later, as if to prove Kratos right, a round room greeted them. Stain glass windows circled the altar, which sat in the middle, light from an unknown source filling the room with dazzling colors. The sight took Ilene's breath away, bringing a hum of nervousness and awe into her stomach.

Walking forward, it felt as if her feet propelled her towards the waiting altar.

The priests gave off soft noises of approval, Kratos the only one remaining silent. As she tossed a glance over her shoulder, she saw the mercenary looked passive, as if he'd seen a sight this marvelous millions of times before.

Taking a deep breath, she stared straight ahead, feeling rather than seeing white mana filling the room around her.

"It's time," one of the priests whispered, followed by a chorus of agreement from the others.

_It's time… time for my destiny to begin._ The thought was sorrowful, but at the same time, a cause for celebration. It meant that the Desians, the droughts, the hatred, the anger, everything- would be stripped from the land with each seal she unlocked.

It meant the world would be reborn.

At that moment, white light rained down from above, shimmering towards the earth with individual sparks.

Ilene shielded her eyes, barely making out the figure that descended.

A man, robed in tan and green, gazed down upon her. Brow wavy hair floated in his face, though he didn't seem to register them. At once, he announced himself, voice booming through the glassed room. It filled the space, seemingly washing it of sin as angelic words flowed from his mouth.

"I am Archard, an angel of Cruxis, sent down to be your guide Chosen one."

She felt a shiver go through her, but remained still. Determination crossed her face as she watched the holy being flap his powerful feathered wings.

"Are you ready to receive your blessing?"

"Yes."

Spreading his arms, a light fell in front of him, heading straight for Ilene's throat. In a flash of blinding light, a small pain echoed through her veins. As it faded, she felt something metallic clasped around her throat. Tentative fingers brushed the metal, feeling the smooth edges and the pointed stone; she knew immediately that it was a Cruxis Crystal. The priests had told her about it…

"We of Cruxis hereby bless this event by bestowing the Tower of Salvation upon Tethe'alla."

There was a sudden change in the atmosphere. Mana swirled around her, compelling her to glance out one of the many windows. It was like a physical tug on her body, eyes beholding a pure white building as it appeared on the horizon.

Heart fluttering from fear and wonder, she brought her hand to her chest, turning back to the angel as everyone else remained staring at the glorious tower.

For a second, she thought she saw something sinister cross over the angel's face. But then, it was gone. The rest of the priests turned back to the angel, the being speaking again. His words boomed through the entire building, echoing thorough the Chosen's bones.

"Chosen of Regeneration. Head South, to the mountainous regions where shadows lead the way to unpaved land. Unlock the seal in that distant land."

The words were baffling, but before she could say anything, the angel ascended to the ceiling, body glowing and flickering, finally vanishing in a blinding light. The Chosen was left stunned, Kratos shuffling behind her.

"Let us go, Chosen."

Looking back at the mercenary, she furrowed her eyebrows. He seemed unfazed by the events of the day. In fact, he looked bored.

Nodding, she turned and took a step towards him, "Yes. Let's go."

They traveled through the dark passages of the temple, monsters having scurried from sight. Even they seemed to have been awed by the appearance of the heavenly being. However, it seemed even creepier without the creatures. The halls were empty, echoing their solid footsteps as they made their way to fresh air.

A priest came up beside Ilene, muttering under his breath, "I'm sorry for what you have to go through, Chosen One."

She gave a small smile, "It's alright."

"Chosen, please don't say that. It's not alright… nothing will ever make this alright."

"What?"

Looking over to the priest, she saw he was shaking. His hands trembled even though he was still pretty youthful. The air was still and warm, making his shivering awkward. Concerned words pressed to her mouth, but she never got the chance to speak them.

The priest spoke, "Martel. Forgive me."

Right as they step foot out of the temple and into the red light of the descending sun, a wave of men leaped out from all around them. Each one had a silver helmet on, brown and gray uniforms effortlessly proving their identities. Desians.

The pieces came together.

Ilene turned to the priest, who'd already started distancing himself from her, "You-"

"Forgive me," he stammered, quickly turning on his heel and darting from the area. Many of the priests accompanying them also turned tail, weaving through the group of Desians as the enemies slowly stepped closer, closing their strangle hold on the remaining companions.

The Chosen shot a look to the mercenary, who looked truly surprised. His wine colored eyes were wide and his skin had visibly paled in the red sunset. He looked shaken to the core… Was it because they were now forced into fighting people? Even if they were half elves, they still bled with the same blood as anyone else.

Perhaps all the auburn had had to face during his years in his line of work had been monsters.

She didn't have more time to think on it. The Desians gave a low chuckle and she gripped her sword tighter in her hands.

Kratos gave a low hiss, "Chosen. Get behind me." There was something demanding –almost distressing – in his voice that made her obey.

The priests had betrayed her – no! – They betrayed all of Tethe'alla! If she died here, how much longer was the world going to be able to hold on without regeneration? Already the people were tired of holding onto false promises and empty dreams. Already they were burying their children, crying for the newly lost and suffering at the hands of the Desians. How much longer until their fragile spirit broke?

Would her death be the catalyst for the world's changing?

"Get the hell away from her!"

A familiar figure leapt into the air from behind the group of Desians. Several turned to see one man get stabbed in the back, his leather armor no match for the steel blade that stuck out from his spine.

There, at the start of the carnage, was none other than her brother, Holtz Capella.

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A/N: Hmmm, so Kratos is surprised, is he? Soon they'll start the actual journey, which will bring to light some of the issues that they're going to face, but for right now, we'll just leave it at this. As for posting twice a week, both Emil Lime and I will be beginning school soon, so after we get a feel for how our classes are, then we'll decide if we can keep up with that rate of posting, otherwise it'll remain every Friday.

For anyone who's wondering how close we're keeping this to Colette's journey (plot wise and all), never fear. We both understand that no one wants to read a rehash of Colette's journey simply with another Chosen, so be patient. Several things have already been put into motion.

If you enjoyed the chapter, drop a review, even if it's something short like 'cool' or 'wonder what's going to happen'. They're always appreciated. And thanks to our wonderful readers and to **Curls923** and **The German **for posting reviews. It's all of your support that keeps us motivated.

Till next time,

Orangepotato


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Just like always, it's time for another chapter. However, Emil Lime and I decided to post two new chapters today instead of the usual one. This will officially start their Journey and introduce some interesting things into the plot.

As for this chapter, it starts a little bit in the past, where Ilene left the Church. It's really the only chapter that'll do it this dramatically and then it'll be straight forward here after, so bare with us.

Thanks to our wonderful readers and, of course, a special thanks go to **Cobakia** for reviewing.

If you enjoy the chapter, then feel free to leave a review! They're always appreciated, no matter how short.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

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_Chapter by Orangepotato_

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_**Holtz Capella: Now's hardly the time for an adventure…**_

His feet ran faster than he ever thought possible.

Down the flight of stairs, through the narrow hallways that circled the sanctuary and past the large wooden doors that served as the entrance to the Church, Holtz opened the doors just in time to see the last of the priests disappearing into the outside world.

Ilene was gone.

He'd never had a chance to say goodbye.

Dashing forward, he made a beeline towards the gate, only to be caught by Reverend.

The aging priest shook his head, eyes filled with sorrow. His frown only made Holtz uneasy.

"Let go," he growled, struggling a bit.

Reverend only tightened his grip. Not enough to cause pain, but enough to cease the fight, "My child. The Chosen's Journey is dangerous. It was her wish that you not accompany her."

"I don't care about that! She'll need me!"

"Please," Reverend sounded mournful, like he was speaking at a funeral, "Don't make this more difficult than it already is."

Heart sinking, Holtz casted his eyes to the ground, feeling Reverend release his grip.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that his sister would have to become an angel to save the world. She never chose her fate, it was handed to her at birth. Why? Why hadn't she ever agreed to run away when he'd offered it? Leave the world? They didn't need saving anyways.

"Holtz," Reverend turned away from the teen, walking back to the safety of the Church, "Come along."

The High Priest exited the courtyard as well, a deathly silence filling the air. Even the noise of the outside that was common for the time of day was gone. It'd seemingly vanished when Ilene had disappeared behind the gate.

Looking at the walls that enclosed him, Holtz took a deep breath and followed behind the aging man. Was this really how everything was going to end? The next time he'd see his sister would be when she was an angel? He'd have to go to the Tower of Salvation to visit her?

Stepping into the Church, he realized how much he hated the place. Yes, he'd always told Ilene that he didn't like it and she'd laugh it off, but he really did hate it. He hated every single person inside of the Church, he hated the Goddess for creating such a screwed up system… Hell, he didn't even believe she existed. Why would she create a world where one person had to suffer so much for the sake of everyone else?

He sighed. He didn't know anything about the so called 'trials' the Chosen had to face, but he knew that every other Chosen before Ilene had died. Either the Desians had killed them or the monsters had been too powerful for them to handle.

Ilene's chances of success were low.

Maybe the next time he saw his sister it'd be in a casket.

Tears stung at his eyes, but he didn't cry. Instead, he sat himself in the sanctuary, the hard wooden pew beneath him digging into his bones.

He didn't feel liked he belonged.

"My child," a priest approached him gently, "your sister is gone, isn't she?"

"Yeah." Holtz spoke to the ground.

The smooth voice of the priest filled the air, "You two were always close. I really thought you'd be joining her on her Journey."

"She doesn't want me there."

"I'm sure that isn't true."

"She said it herself."

"Well, maybe she-"

"Just shut up!" Holtz snapped his head up, snarling at the man. Anger flared in him for only a second, but it faded quickly, despair taking its place. Taking a deep breath, he realized he didn't even recognize the priest. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

The priest seemed slightly taken aback, but he simply smiled, "That's alright. I understand that you're upset." The man sat himself in front of the teen, silk robes swishing with the movement.

"Do I know you?"

"No, I'm sorry. Probably not. I'm new here. Reverend told me all about you and your sister."

"Oh."

Silence surrounded them again. Holtz looked at the back of the man's head. Jet black hair flowed out from underneath the priest hat, brushing the man's shoulders. Hints of yellow colored strands mixed with the black, the priest's hair almost seeming to be a bit longer in the front.

"Why don't you follow her?" The priest's question took the red head by surprise. He nearly jumped out of the pew, the man's voice echoing strongly off the of the sanctuary walls.

He finally found his words, "Because-"

"She didn't want you to there? I feel like you're the type of person who doesn't listen to anyone." A pause. "Even your sister."

The priest turned around in his seat, smiling at Holtz. There was a laugh on his features, like it was some sort of personal joke.

It was probably truer than Holtz wanted to believe.

"The priests will know I'm gone."

"What are they going to do? Follow after you?"

"They might send the Royal Knights."

"What will they do? Arrest you for aiding the Chosen?"

"What about-"

"You want to go, don't you?"

The question hung in the air for a little while. It resounded in the teen's mind, bouncing off every thought in his brain before finally resonating with his heart. It was the truth. He wanted to go. He'd wanted to follow after her when she'd left, hell, he wanted to jump up and run after her now.

Something inside him told him he needed to stay, however.

A small voice of reason.

Something that whispered _there's no turning back once you've made the decision._

The priest spoke, "You're wasting time thinking up excuses when all you want to do is follow her. Who knows? Maybe you can change the course of nature itself."

His heart beat wildly.

Yes.

Maybe he could convince Ilene to escape from it all still. Maybe there was a chance she wouldn't have to turn into an angel if he could just convince her to understand. She didn't need to save the world from destruction… there wasn't anything in the world to save.

Standing, pulse thudding in his ears, he turned to leave, but a question brushed his mind, "What's your name?"

The priest stood, smiling, "Jacques. My name is Jacques."

Holtz reciprocated the smile, "Thanks, Jacques."

With that, he charged out of the sanctuary and quickly grabbed a backpack of supplies, a steel sword and his signature bow and arrow. The Chosen's first stop was the Temple of Martel. That's where he was going to go.

Running through the desolate town, passing by the ruined buildings and once grand structures, he headed towards the forgotten temple, feet pounding against the earth as fast as his rapid heartbeat.

_I'll just wait for them outside the temple! I'll convince her to let me join them. Then maybe I can convince her-_

His thoughts were interrupted when he spotted the large group of Desians. He spotted several priests running off through the thickets of trees that surrounded the temple. Instantly, his heart was in his throat.

_Ilene!_

Drawing his sword, he leapt into the air, voice ripping through his throat, "Get the hell away from her!" In the bleeding light, he just killed the first person he saw. Nerves on fire, he yanked his sword out of the downed Desian and readied himself for an onslaught.

Several of the Desians turned to him, eyes wide behind their masks.

Fear was barely there as Holtz rammed his blade through one of the surprised men's stomach. Blood splashed downwards, earth drinking it up greedily.

He managed to kill a few more before making it over to his sister. The mercenary nearby had already taken advantage of the attack and had started chanting, mana hued orange and red swirling around him as he finished in one breath,

"Eruption!"

Red hot lava burst through the ground, scorching several Desians in the area. Shouts and hollers filled the air, the rest of the enemies positioning their blades and charging the group as the last few hit Desians dissolved into cinders.

"Prepare yourself," the mercenary breathed, blade already at the ready. His rust colored eyes narrowed and Holtz felt an instant dislike for the man.

Prepare yourself? What stupid advice… the red head tossed the thought away though, as the first Desian approached him. He swung his sword out, the metal clashing into the enemies armor and chipping it. Dodging his opponent's attack, he managed to cut the back of the man's knee, hearing a howl of rage and pain.

That man was down for the count.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Ilene danced between enemies, eyes focused. She kept her pace, twisting out of the way when there was danger, but she there was still hesitation when she'd bring her blade down on a Desian. There was still a pause when she considered which way to go.

With a small smirk on his face, he realized he'd always been a better fighter than her.

Killing two more Desians, Holtz yanked a few arrows from the quiver on his back and slid the bow from around his shoulder. Pointing at one of the enemies his sister was engaging, he sent an arrow flying, the pointed tip hitting the enemy in the eye, blood spurting out of the guy's helmet before he dropped to the ground.

He flashed Ilene a smile and watched terror cross her face for a moment. He was able to see her fumble with her sword, but before he could turn around to see what she was staring at, he felt heat brush against his back and then heard the solid sound of something charred falling to the ground.

He dared to turn around.

"You should be more careful when enemies are around," the mercenary spoke, voice smooth and low.

Anger flared in the red headed teen, but Ilene responded quickly, "What was that all about?"

"I don't know."

She let out a long sigh, "But apparently the priests were in on it." There was a sad tone in her voice, but Holtz didn't look at her. He kept his gray eyes trained on the mercenary. After a moment of silence, she continued, "We need to keep going."

She moved past Holtz and her bodyguard, the man turning and following after.

Before his sister could say the inevitable 'go back to the Church', he piped up, "I'm coming with you."

That met with shock from the mercenary –well, as shocked as he could appear, Holtz mused – and made Ilene turn, a smirk hinted on her face.

"It'll be dangerous," she noted.

"Danger is my middle name."

"It might be scary."

"I'm not scared of anything."

"You could very well die."

"Then cry at my grave, will ya?" He walked up to his sister, making sure to glare at the mercenary as he passed, "If you don't want me in your group. Fine. But I'm following. I'll go on the Journey by myself. Martel knows I need to cleanse my soul with a pilgrimage."

She smiled, "Martel _does _know."

It was the mercenary who gave a long sigh, "If the Chosen desires it, who am I to say no?"

He walked passed them both and started towards the next temple, Ilene and Holtz following behind.


	7. Chapter 7

****A/N: And here's the second chapter for this week. If you enjoyed it, please review! Even a "that's cool" or "awesome" is welcomed.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

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_Chapter by Emil Lime_

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_**Kratos Aurion: Chosen Project (Tethe'alla), Status-Incomplete**_

He was still shaking.

Scolding himself inwardly and forcing calm over his mind, he re-evaluated the attack they'd just gone through. First the priest's betrayed them-the first time that'd ever happened on a Regeneration Journey-and after that the renegades came.

No, that wasn't right. They weren't renegades. They were desians, actual desians. Kratos could tell by the armor and the way they fought. He'd given countless training sessions to the desian soldiers, watched them learn the proper way to fight.

And in that battle, he'd seen almost every one of those technics used.

But why? The desians worked with Cruxis and were only used as intimidation for the Chosen and the rest of the world. There only purpose was to help the parasitic process of the Cruxis crystal the Chosen wore, aside from creating and distributing Exspheres.

So why had actual desians attacked the temple, dead set on killing the Chosen?

His musing was stopped when he heard an annoyed groan behind him. Barely turning his head, he peered back to see who had given it.

Granit eyes glared back at him. So it was the brother, he thought. Figures.

Kratos was getting the very distinct feeling Holtz Capella hated him. It wasn't like it was the first time Kratos had been hated by anyone in the Regeneration party, but this seemed far more intense than the average run-of-the-mill 'I hate you because you're stronger than me'.

Another sigh from the boy and Kratos stopped and turned, looking at him squarely. He forced down the shaking even more before speaking, "Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Capella?"

"Mister? What am I, forty?"

"Fine, Holtz." How Kratos hated using informal titles. As he'd learned, it was a sure sign you'd start to get attached. Rule one of journeying, _never_ use a first name. Regardless, he'd been painted into this corner many times, "Is there something I can help you with?"

Holtz crossed his arms, tilting his head to the side like he was about to say something exceedingly sassy, "Where are we going anyway?"

Ilene popped in, her voice light against the coarse nature of her brother's, "The angel said we we're to head to 'the mountainous regions where shadows lead the way to unpaved land'". She pointed outwards before smiling at the younger sibling, "Sorry I forgot to mention that to you."

Holtz glanced between Kratos and Ilene before settling with a shrug, "Don't apologize, sis. My other question is, just what makes him qualified to help you?" Accusation hung heavily in Holtz' voice but Kratos paid it little heed.

"I am simply a mercenary who was hired to protect the Chosen. I suppose I am as qualified as anyone else in my field."

"You mean the field of ruffians and scoundrels, right?"

"Whatever you wish to call us, but do remember that if it wasn't for those 'ruffians' and 'scoundrels', you would be making this journey armed with a dull sword and a few arrows." He turned and continued walking, feeling he'd made his point.

He could hear Holtz give off a low scowl before he and his sister continued walking. To Kratos, the Chosen was tolerable, being well-mannered and polite. Her brother, however, was a different story entirely.

This was going to be a long journey.

As they progressed through the open fields, occasionally attacking wild monsters that ventured too close, the party reached their first real problem, the Foogi Mountains. The vast range spanned the entire continent, their high peaks scrapping the bottoms of clouds and casting a heavy shadow on them all. They were a great beast one did not simply scramble over. It took days, even weeks to get over them and, from Kratos' experience, those who were weak always died here.

He'd watched as elderly and small children fell to their deaths upon the steep and unstable foundation. He'd even seen a Chosen or two be crushed under rubble, before they could even begin regenerating the world.

These mountains held the graves of many travelers.

Looking back at the Chosen and her brother, the two seemed paler than before. Although he hadn't reviewed the information on Ilene, he knew enough about her from what he'd been reported to know she and her brother hadn't been outside of Meltokio all that much. This was probably their first time seeing a mountain range as intimidating as this one.

"I've travelled these paths before. It is important that we watch our footing and remain vigilant.

Strong monsters live in the higher parts as well."

Holtz gulped down his fear, "These stupid mountains don't scare me. They're just a bunch of rocks piled on top of each other…right, sis?" There was a tentative glance at his sister before she nodded with more conviction than she probably had.

"Right. We'll be over them before we know it."

Kratos really hoped so.

Securing his weapon, he started towards the dusty trail that would lead them to the other side. It was just as bad as he remembered, loose gravel toppling beneath every step, little pebbles dancing over the sides of the walkway when kicked from their unattached hold. It was narrow, big enough for the siblings to walk side by side and nothing more. Kratos, however, told them to walk single file, as the sides would give way under too much weight. Since they would be flirting with the edge of a ravine for the first part of their walk, he didn't want them standing next to each other. The last thing he needed was for this journey to end before it began.

It was slow progress, coming to a dug out camp area not to long before sundown. Wooden beams held up the rocky walls, crossing across themselves to keep it from caving in. The three settled themselves there, laying out blankets and pulling out dried foods to eat.

Kratos sat by himself, satisfied that his shaking had finally stopped once they'd began their slow climb up the mountain. Sitting at the entrance of the dug-in, he could hear the siblings talking quietly to each other, hatred rancid in Holtz' voice. No doubt he was talking about the mercenary.

Looking out at the stone wall before him, he could see the trail disappear from his vision at the bend before him. Holding back a sigh, he brought back the thoughts from earlier.

The desians.

He'd have to talk to Yggdrasill about it, though the next time an angel would be sent for a status report was anyone's guess. For now, he'd just have to call it a fluke. Desians had attacked his caravan before, mistaking it for a common pilgrimage. Just like any other group he'd encounter, Kratos would cut through them until one of their captains realized who they were fighting.

After that, they'd turn tail and run. That would be that. But this was different. He'd never been attacked while the Chosen was receiving the oracle. The Desians knew better than to attack any of the Chosen's sights.

It was a no-brainer that she'd be there, no room for error so why…

He tried to recall the names of all of the cardinals, a total of five. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall any of them. It wasn't his job to communicate with them, that was Yuan's. Yes, the auburn had met them, trained with them, explained things to them but remembering who they were among the sea of faces and names he'd gathered over these past 3000 and some odd years was nearly impossible. Not to mention, it was every couple hundred years that they got new cardinals.

Half-elves die fast, even to Kratos. Of course, being highly sought after and a main target for those brave enough to stand and fight didn't help either. Several over the years had been assassinated.

"Excuse me, Mr. Aurion."

It was Ilene who'd spoken up, causing Kratos to turn his head. "Yes?"

"Holtz and I were wondering, how long have you been working as a mercenary?" Rule two of journeying, never divulge personal information, not that this was personal since it wasn't true.

"About ten years now."

"Martel, how old _are_ you?" The boyish nature in Holtz voice was really starting to grate on Kratos' nerves. He'd dealt with immature, but this was an all-new level.

"I started working as a mercenary at the age of 18. I didn't see any other profession I could work in that would make as much money. So, being good at fighting, I decided it was the appropriate path to take." Feeling like he'd said enough, he was about to turn back around when Holtz snapped at him.

"You're 28! That's so damn old! Hey geezer, you sure you can make it up this mountain without a walker?" Ilene shot Holtz a glare, the same kind of glare he'd seen Martel give Mithos when he was being rude to their human traveler.

"I'll be fine. Thank you for your concern."

"You son of a-"

"Holtz." A stern look was on the redheaded girls' face, "Show Mr. Aurion some appreciation. He doesn't have to escort me. He could get up and leave."

"Then why doesn't he? I can protect you far better than he can." So it was about him being stronger that Holtz didn't like. No. That still seemed to shallow for the level of hatred that Holtz carried in his eyes. There had to be something else.

Ilene gave a long, tired sigh, "Holtz, I know you can protect me but this journey is very dangerous. I need all the help I can get. You and I alone won't be able to fight off everything, just look at the desians who attacked us earlier."

It was odd not having to mentally correct them with the word _renegade_.

Eyes downcast, Holtz said, "I know but…I don't trust him."

"It's not about trust, brother," she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "It's about surviving."

Kratos couldn't have put it more poetically himself. This had never been a game of trust, it had always been about releasing the seals and regenerating the world. There was never a time that he felt the Chosen he was escorting completely trusted him. He was, after all, a hired man who fell quite far out of their circles. He'd always been the odd man out and, quite frankly, that was how he liked it.

Then there was a sound, the scrap of a shoe on gravel and Kratos snapped his head towards the pathway. Darkness had long since covered the landscape and if not for the small lamp which held fire, it would be impossible to see.

Straining his enhanced eyes, he couldn't see anything besides rocks and dirt.

"Is something wrong?" Ilene's voice was distant, Kratos standing up and placing a hand on his hilt. Wine colored eyes darted side to side. He hated this disadvantage. It was impossible to see further up the trail because of the bend and his position behind the dug-in's walls.

He'd heard a sound, he was sure of it. Someone was around, watching and waiting. It'd sounded human…was it another group of desians? He heard Ilene and Holtz scramble to get their weapons at the ready, seeing Kratos had taken up the defensive.

"Mr. Aurion?" Ilene quieted herself when she saw his hand shoot up. Lowering it back to his sword, he listened with his enhanced hearing. Yes, there was definitely the sound of scuffed dirt. It was coming from beyond the bend. Softer than the sound of shoes, however, was steady breathing.

No doubt they were waiting for the group to fall asleep.

Kratos was stuck. If he made his way out of the dug-in, sword at the ready, they'd know they'd been found out. It could very well lead them to attack and it wouldn't be hard to pin them inside the small, confined space of the wooden cave. However, if he dismissed it and faked sleep, it became highly likely that the siblings would be caught off guard and, at that point, became massive liabilities.

A frontal assault.

It was the lesser of two evils. Better to be cornered than to be caught off guard. Glancing back, he whispered to them, "I heard voices from ahead."

The auburn could see them tense up, eyes shifting between him and each other. Kratos nodded forward, "I'll lead. Stay behind and cover me." Taking as quiet as a step as he could, he headed towards the bend, calming his racing heart and his quickening breath. He heard the scurry of footsteps, no longer masking themselves, and the hushed hisses of angry voices, speaking in a mix of common and elf.

Hyb, short for hybrid. They were definitely half-elves. No other race would use such a crude mixture of two prominent languages. They could hear Kratos and the others move out of the dug-in, well aware they'd been found out.

Another second and there was a swarm of them, covered from head to toe in grey and black uniforms. Swords were raised as they came forward, Kratos catching one in the throat when he got near.

The whistle of arrows from above caused Kratos' heart to skip a beat. A black cloud, darker than the sky, showered down from the tops of the cliff sides. Each tip embedded itself in the soft soil, Kratos pushing himself back to get out of their line of fire. He could hear the siblings make their way back as well.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit," Holtz repeated, readying his arrows for some kind of counter-assault.

Uniformed men stumbled forward, swords and axes swinging down on the mercenary. Blocking one blow, he drug his weapon to the side, slashing open a man's stomach. He howled, twisting backwards as his comrades pressed onward.

Slash after slash, he dropped them. Turning his gaze towards the bend, he could see more of them ready themselves and head into the narrow walkway. The archers were also readying another volley.

_Damn it._

Holtz had shot off some arrows in the meantime, Ilene fighting off the ones who'd broken through Kratos' guard. It was easy to see, however, that things were going downhill fast. The sound of wind caught Kratos' attention, causing him to duck as a sword whistled over his head. Just then, hundreds of arrows were released, their bowstrings making an audible 'ping' sound as they sent their deadly weapons flying skyward.

"Get back," Kratos roared over the sound of the men, Ilene and Holtz running further down the trail to avoid being impaled from above. Ducking down as another man swung at Kratos, he kicked the man's armored legs which gave out immediately.

The man fell towards Kratos, the mercenary grabbing hold of his body right as the arrows came down in torrents. He could hear the sound of the tips penetrating the man's armor and skin. He even heard a few bones fracture and break.

Gurgling up blood and foam, the life faded from the man's eyes and Kratos tossed him aside just in time to dodge a blow from three other men above him.

Rolling back to his feet, he backed up slowly. There were too many of them. And with the archers covering the high ground, it would be nearly impossible to get through their defensive. Although several of the uniformed guards lay dead by his blade or their own barrage, several hundreds were ready to take their place.

Apparently they had no qualms with dying.

From behind, he heard the Chosen's voice, "Kratos, this way!" Throwing a glance behind him, he saw her gesture for him to follow down the pathway. Holtz was already moving in that direction.

There was no way they could make a full retreat. They'd be snagged in the back by the enemy before they could make it to the fields where they'd be out of the range of the archers and granted more space to fight.

"Kratos, please! I have an idea!" He could barely hear her as he sliced through a couple other men. An idea? Well, maybe it was better than nothing.

Continuing to face forward, he swiftly stepped back, creating a wide separation. Giving one last glance at them, he turned his back and ran, catching Ilene's arm as he passed her. "What's your plan?" He could already hear the thunder of footsteps behind them. It wouldn't be long before they caught up with them.

"The ravine…" she breathed out and Kratos' eyes widened a fraction. It was a dangerous plan but it was their best shot. They'd be within the opening of the ravine within a matter of steps, the left side wall splitting out to reveal a deep chasm with a twisting river below.

"Stay as close to the wall as possible." Pushing Ilene forward, he watched her catch her footing right as the wall disappeared and a deep abyss appeared beside them. He could already see Holtz slowing down, Ilene catching up to him and pulling him towards the wall.

Kratos summoned up all of his strength, twisting on his heel before bringing his sword in front of him, placing a palm near the top of the blade. Mana circled through his fingers, a yellow circle appearing below his feet. Muttering the words for his incantation, he shouted the name as the mana surged forward, "Dreaded Wave!"

The pathway shook, pressure bring up rubble and dirt. There was a rumble and a shift, the pathway beside the ravine breaking apart and falling downward. Hundreds of the men screamed, clawing at the broken earth to save themselves, as they tumbled downward. Kratos watched them fall, listened to their screams and cries end when they hit the ground far below. Only a few dozen remained and they turned to run, being on the other side of the massive gap that now existed.

Kratos wouldn't lose this chance, Dashing forward, he jumped the gap, arms grabbing hold of the ruptured gravel. Clawing his way up, he took after them, snagging one in the back and dropping him as the others tripped and stuttered into the darkness.

The man that laid before him was crawling, desperate to get away, "You're not going anywhere."

Pressing a foot onto the man's back injury, he howled.

There was an anger in Kratos' eyes as he looked down at the miserable half-elf, clearly wearing the desian uniform for the ranch which rested near the temple of darkness.

"You're going to tell us everything you know."


	8. Chapter 8

****A/N: Thanks to all of the readers for continuing to follow this story. We're going to attempt to update twice a week, Wednesday and Friday, and see if we can keep that pace going.

Hope you enjoy the chapter and if you do, please drop a review. It's always greatly appreciated.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

* * *

_Chapter by Emil Lime_

* * *

_**Kratos Aurion: Chosen Project (Tethe'alla), Status-Incomplete**_

Kratos, grabbing the man by the collar, dragged him back to the dug-in, waiting just a second to for the siblings to catch up. They'd barely managed to keep Kratos' pace, Holtz' angry rants a distant sound in the auburn's ear.

"Slow down, pops. You're going to break your hip at that speed."

Ignoring them both, Kratos threw the desian into the cave, the man smacking the wall and crumbling to the dirt floor. "I'm sorry," he stammered as Kratos approached.

"Sorry isn't good enough for threatening the Chosen." Not bothering to turn his head when Ilene and Holtz tentatively walked in, Kratos knelt down and pulled the man close to his face. Keeping it barely above a whisper, he spoke, "Do you know who I am?"

There was a small shake of the desian's head, the man's entire body shaking under Kratos' grasp.

"I am an angel of Cruxis, one of the four Serphim."

The desian started shaking even more, some kind of terror washing over him when the words Kratos had spoken finally sank in. He began babbling uncontrollably, words coming out of his mouth in ways that made him incomprehensible.

Pushing him back against the wall, Kratos hissed, "Why are the desians attacking the Chosen?"

There was no answer, only shaking, and the mercenary slammed him against the wall again. There was a pathetic squeak from the desian and then the sound of footfall behind him. Kratos felt a hand on his shoulder, causing him to turn his eyes back. Ilene was standing there, a mix of fear and anger in her eyes.

"Don't hurt him."

"Sis?" Hotlz walked towards her, a frown set on his face. "What the hell are you talking about? This guy tried to kill you."

"I know that," she removed her hand from Kratos' shoulder and turned to her brother. "But that doesn't mean we can be as bad as they are. We're only sinking to their level if we hurt him." Although Kratos couldn't see her eyes, he could hear the fiery determination in her voice. Just like them? He doubted that. She was childish for thinking in such a way.

"But sis, he's a _desian_. If we don't take care of him, he'll crawl back to his little ranch and rejoin his brothers."

Ilene shook her head, red curls swishing from side to side, "I know that but, will killing one more stop their assault? More will come regardless."

Kratos sighed, his grip on the desian slackening, "Chosen, I understand your sentiment but your brother is right. He will come back and try to kill you. As your bodyguard, I am obligated to protect you and sometimes that means stooping to their level."

She held her breath as she regarded the mercenary, face indicating she was giving something very deep consideration. As Kratos studied her with his sideways gaze, he could feel the desian in his grasp begin to wiggle a little.

_He honestly thinks he can escape me?_

Ilene let out a sigh, "I'm sorry, I just can't let you kill him." At that moment, the man twisted out of Kratos' grasp, his body sliding along the back wall before pushing its way towards freedom. Just as his foot hit the dirt floor, a sword penetrated his side, blood seeping out of the wound. Kratos stood, blade still in hand.

"Do not attempt escape."

Ilene and Holtz backed away, readying their weapons. They're senses were slower than his, he knew, but it felt like it took an eternity for them to pick up on the man's escape attempt. That didn't bother Kratos, though, as he'd managed to catch the man with the sharpened end of his weapon.

Closing the distance between himself and the desian, Kratos glared at him long and hard before removing the blade, the man falling to the floor. Whimpers escaped his mouth as Kratos flicked the blood off of his steal sword and replaced it in his sheath.

"I believe we have no other choice," Kratos turned towards Ilene, whose eyes were locked with his. Even after everything she'd seen, she still clung to her conviction. There was no way she'd let him continue to accompany her if he killed him without her consent. Of course, the auburn highly doubted he'd be able to obtain such a thing.

Holtz' voice pierced the darkened cavern, "Ilene, just let gramps kill the dude. He won't live for much longer with that injury anyway."

Kratos nodded, "It would be far more merciful to spare him the suffering of bleeding to death." Although Kratos wasn't fond of Holtz, he'd managed to say something that was extremely compelling. Ilene would be forced to choose between bringing about death quickly or letting the half-elf linger in limbo for a while before finally passing on.

There was a frown on her face as her ocean blue eyes flicked between Kratos and the dying man. The resolve in her features was waning. Putting her sword away, she turned her back towards him, "It _would_ be more merciful. Please end his life quickly. I'll be outside." Without another word, not even a glance at her brother, she stepped into the moonlight of the open pathway and disappeared around the corner.

Nodding towards the doorway, Holtz scowled before following his sister.

Once the two had disappeared, Kratos knelt down again, placing a hand on his hilt. "You're time is limited and your answers to these next couple of questions will determine how you will leave this world." His voice was nearly mute against the harsh sounds of the outside world, but the half-elf gave a small nod to tell the auburn he was listening.

"Why are the desians after the Chosen? You have strict orders from Lord Yggdrasill to avoid attacking her."

He spat out blood before giving a small glance upwards, eyes locking with Kratos', "It's because they're going to take over. They're tired of taking orders from…your _Lord_." Coughing up some blood, the man clung to his injuries.

Kratos pressed on, "Taking over? You mean the desians? Is it just your Cardinal?" No, he already knew that wasn't right. At the temple, they'd been wearing green uniforms. Now, however, their attackers were clothed in grey. Could two of the Grand Cardinals be turning away from Cruxis?

"Not just mine..." The half-elf sputtered and Kratos could tell the man was going to die soon.

Regardless, he pressed forward, "Who's betraying Cruxis?"

He shook his head, the half-elf face splitting open with a grin, "Like I'm going to tell you that." He coughed some more, Kratos realizing that if he made much more noise, the siblings would become curious as to why he wasn't dead yet. Cursing under his breath, Kratos pulled out his sword and slammed it upon the man's neck, decapitating him immediately.

There was no more sounds, save the breeze between the mountain sides. Letting out a growl, Kratos stood up, sheathing his weapon in frustration. So the Cardinals were rebelling, huh? He'd never seen it happen before, that they'd all wish to overthrow Yggdrasill. What could they gain anyway? It wasn't like killing the Chosen would do anything except bring about the wrath of Cruxis' leader.

_So why…_

Heading out, he glanced at the two, both sitting with their backs against the wall. Holtz glared up at him, Ilene sitting with her head resting on her knees, arms wrapped around her legs for protection.

"Shall we be off?" He motioned forward as he listened for any lingering desian. It seemed that even the archers had fled. The trail would be safe for the moment and Kratos didn't feel like they should waste their time.

Standing, Ilene nodded but said nothing more. Holtz stood after her and followed her forward. Kratos, bringing up the rear, was content with the silence. After all, he had much to think about.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: The next chapter is out on Wednesday, as promised. Thanks to all of you who are reading the story! The next chapter will come out on Friday, per usual.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

* * *

_Chapter by Orangepotato_

* * *

_**Ilene Capella: As the Chosen, it's my duty to save this world…**_

The outside air was cool against her skin as she exited the dug-in. A quick breeze fluttered at her skirts and hair, making her wrap her arms around herself as she leaned against a nearby wall and slid to the ground.

Tears threatened her eyes, but she didn't cry.

Inwardly, she admonished herself for being so weak.

She was upset because she hadn't been able to stop Kratos' demands. That even her brother had wanted that Desian dead. Soon enough, the poor man would become another casualty of a war that wasn't even worth fighting.

It was sickening. The Desians were just people. Sure, she accepted that there was a price to pay when combat ensued, but now? When they were in a moment of peace?

Kratos' stern words filled her mind.

_Chosen, I understand your sentiment, but your brother is right. He will come back and try to kill you. As your bodyguard, I am obligated to protect you, and sometimes, that means stooping to their level._

With a frustrated sigh, she drew her knees close to her and rested her head upon them.

Wasn't it too sad that they were engaged in a war? The people who wanted Regeneration and those who didn't?

Maybe she was being naive.

Holtz appeared from the mouth of the dug-in, simmering anger on his face. It quickly dissipated as he spied his sister and sat himself down next to her.

"Ilene?" He probed.

Selfishly, she kept quiet. She wasn't in the mood for a conversation. She was realizing now that she was being foolish for keeping up her beliefs of mercy, but she didn't need to hear that now. Right now, she just wanted Kratos to join them and for them to continue their journey.

"Sis, are you alright?"

There was anger in her thoughts, but none were directed at her brother. It was more at herself. It seemed ridiculous that, as the Chosen, she didn't have more power over things. Who lived, who died…

"You know this has to be done, right?" His voice was low, the wind whistling through the passage as another silence fell.

Kratos' haunting words came back once more.

_It would be far more merciful to spare him the suffering of bleeding to death._

With a long sigh, she was about to speak up when Kratos appeared. He glanced their way, face void of emotion, and then gestured for them to continue moving.

It was true. They needed to get going.

Without thinking, she and Holtz stood and started weaving through the Fooji mountains once again. The mercenary stayed in the back and for the rest of the night, no one spoke.

As the sun began to prick the night sky with yellows and reds, her brother stifled a yawn and then tossed a none too subtle glare back to the red headed mercenary.

"Good Goddess Martel, how much longer are we going to be on this stupid mountain?" He kicked at a few pebbles along the ground, "Are we getting close to one of the temples? I mean, really…" He let out a string of curses that would have sent the priests back home to their graves.

Speaking of the priests…

"Kratos," Ilene spoke for the first time in a long while. Her voice cracked a little, as if she was relearning how to speak, "Why would the priests have betrayed the Chosen like that?"

The deep voice of the mercenary came from behind her, "I couldn't say for sure, but there are plenty of people who succumb to greed. The Desians can be persuasive as well."

Holtz decided to throw in his two cents, "That, and you know priests can never be trusted. Holy, my ass. They're always crooked. I wouldn't be surprised in the least if the Pope was in on it too."

Ilene had to wonder if Reverend and the High Priest had been in on it as well. They were the holy men who'd practically raised her and her brother. It seemed impossible that they'd agree to betray her. They, among all else, wanted to see peace bestowed to the land.

Furrowing her brow, she knew it was pointless to contemplate it. Whether they were in on it or not didn't change anything now. Her goal was to release the seals and regenerate the world. Once she was an angel, she could look into the deeds of the Church of Martel.

Light conversations continued to fill the air for the rest of the day. Even the following days passed in the same manner. Never again did they face a group of Desians. Instead, they battled monsters and found small areas to sleep for the night when the sun descended too far into the earth to walk safely. It was usually Kratos who called it a day, which always earned a comment from Holtz.

Ilene would always sigh to herself. Why couldn't they just get along?

It was after two weeks that they managed to make it through the thin mountain passages. Once, they'd all almost fallen into a deep valley when the path had given way under them. Another time, Holtz had nearly tumbled over the edge in battle. Kratos had managed to snatch the red head's shirt just in time. Even now the boy hadn't thanked the mercenary.

"The end! I can see the end!" Holtz dashed down the path, gravel causing him to slide a bit as he reached the bottom. He jumped around in the lush green grass that spread for miles away from the mountainous region.

The Chosen laughed, reaching the end of the trail as well. It felt nice to be on solid ground again. Turning to Kratos, she saw the man was deep in thought. He'd been that way for a long time now. His face was drawn in concentration and he barely seemed to register that they'd finally made it to a new section of the world.

"Kratos?" She probed. The auburn snapped out of it.

"Yes, Chosen?"

"Where do we go next? Any ideas?"

He exhaled, and then looked around. Ilene did as well, twisting her head to see another far off mountain range. It was covered by an oncoming storm, but it could hold the temple they were looking for. Forestry sat before it, climbing its way up the brown rock faces until they couldn't reach anymore.

That was where they were headed. During her lessons, the priests had explained the writings which depicted the temples for her journey. However, no one knew for sure where they were since after the last successful Chosen's journey, over one thousand years ago, the information had been lost. Now, it was based majorly on legend and any information that could be recovered from the unsuccessful Chosen's bodyguards who returned.

Archard had said it was in a land covered by shadow, even hinting that it was upon land not easily trotted on.

It had to be the mountainous peaks on the horizon.

Walking forward, a strong gale blew and she squeezed her eyes shut. Wind whirled around her and the others, finally dying down after several seconds.

Holtz called from the distance, "The hell was that?"

"A storm, I'd imagine," came Kratos' calm reply.

"What? Your old bones tell you that, gramps?"

Sometimes she wanted to smack her brother, "Holtz, be nice."

"What, should I shout because his old ears can't hear me or something?" Another gust of wind hit, bellowing on the edge of a storm. Thunder gurgled in the ever darkening clouds and a few splats of rain began to fall.

The three of them gathered together, Kratos speaking over the arriving storm, "There's no shelter here or back in the mountain pass. We have no choice but to keep going."

"Is that safe?" The Chosen asked.

"If things get too bad, we can pitch our tents, but I don't think it's wise. We're also easy targets in this area. With a storm brewing, the enemies will have the perfect cover for a sneak attack."

Ilene nodded, Holtz not saying anything. They disbanded and began travelling, rain quickly finding them.

With the onslaught of cold water against her body, she shivered. Wrapping her arms around herself, she remained close to her two companions. As soon as it became difficult to see, her hand instinctively found Holtz' as they continued.

It felt like hours passed, thunder roaring and lighting streaking the sky for only a second before abysmal darkness consumed them again, and the pounding of rain washed away every other noise.

It didn't help that night had fallen. Now they'd all linked hands, Ilene in the middle, and their progress was slow. The earth had become muddy under them, shoes slipping in the grassy mixture. A few times, she heard her brother cursing or shouting something, but she could never catch what he was saying.

Several more hours of the same thing passed before the storm eventually lightened up. Rain began to lessen, finally receding to an occasional spatter. The thunder ebbed away, as did the flickers of yellow across the black sky.

All of them were soaked. Kratos didn't complain, but as soon as the storm died down, Holtz growled in frustration.

"This sucks. What kind of freak storm was that? We never get those types of storms in Meltokio."

Picturing the map in her head, Ilene answered, "The mountains in the area create some strange weather patterns. Being between two sets, I heard this land is plagued with freak weather phenomena."

Kratos added, "I once aided a group through this area. We encountered a similar storm. It's something that happens frequently."

"Yeah, well, I don't like it."

"Brother, it doesn't matter what you like…"

He gave a small huff, but didn't say anything else. Instead, he wiggled his hand away from his sister's grip and dashed a few paces ahead. He was looking hard into the distance, trying to see something in the low light.

Glancing up, dark clouds still obscured the moon and the many stars that usually painted the night sky. Holtz returned to the group, hands on his hips. A scowl was on his features and playfully, Ilene poked his side. He twisted away from her and swatted at her hand.

"Why are you so serious?" She questioned.

"I'm not serious."

"Then what's with the face? If you keep making that expression, your face will get stuck like that."

"I'll take my chances," he said in a childlike tone. Playfully, he stuck his tongue out at his sister, who laughed in return.

"No girl's going to want to date a face like that, either."

"You know what?" The red boy commented, "I just won't date. Then I can have any face I want."

Kratos interrupted smoothly, "It's late."

Holtz snapped back instantly, "Past your bedtime, gramps?"

"Unless you want to set up camp, it would be best if we kept moving. We'll make it to the other mountains by morning if we keep a fast pace."

Sighing, the Chosen knew that was the right choice, "Let's keep moving. I don't like being out in the open."

Kratos nodded and stepped forward, taking the lead as the siblings followed after him.

Holtz kept pace next to his sister, "So, tell me. What are we going to find at the next temple?"

"Well, there's always a challenge, so we'll probably have to face a monster."

"I hope gramps here doesn't put out his back fighting."

"Are you always going to make fun of his age? He's not that old, you know. In thirteen years, you'll be that old."

"Yeah, and in thirteen years, he'll be forty one. Old."

She shook her head, "Yes, he's always going to be older than you, that's how biology works. People don't stay young forever."

"Then he'd better find a youth potion or something. He's only getting older."

She really couldn't understand her brother sometimes. Kratos was actually pretty young for a mercenary. And for his age, he was actually pretty skilled. It was hard not to admire him, even though he was a rather serious man.

"Why don't you try getting to know him? Maybe you'll actually like him." Ilene nudged her brother.

He nudged her back, "No thanks. I know him well enough already."

Deciding she wasn't going to argue about it today, she just playfully poked at his side again, "When we get to the temple, protect me, okay? I don't know if I can defend myself." A bright smile was on her face as her brother gave a dramatic wave.

"I'd consider it an honor, oh great Chosen one."

Ilene smiled, "Why thank you, Sir Holtz."

"Of course. I'd do anything for the great Chosen. May Martel bless me in my pursuit to do good deeds for the Chosen one." He clasped his hands in mock prayer, speaking rather loudly in his plea to the Goddess, "Oh Goddess Martel, who's definitely real and totally not imaginary, please grant me great treasures and pleasures in life as I escort the Chosen to her many temples so she can be an angel like you. Amen."

"Beautiful prayer there, brother," Ilene smirked, "really eloquent, too."

"I'm thinking of becoming the next Pope. Think I'll make it in?"

"Only if there's no one else in Tethe'alla willing to fill the position."

"You mean 'fill his robes' right? Man, that guy is huge! He makes whales look tiny."

Ilene couldn't help but laugh, "Stop being mean, Holtz. He wasn't that big. He was just a large man."

"Sis, we're not at the Church anymore. You can say whatever you damn well please, and that includes the truth. The Pope had to live outside the city, next to Meltokio, in a place we all lovingly referred to as 'Big Tethey'."

"He wasn't that big."

"Everyone in the congregation knew he was coming. I mean, the Church would rattle with his every step. It's about time the priests stopped thinking it was the second coming of Spiritua and finally figured out it was the Pope waddling in."

Ilene laughed and she could have sworn she heard Kratos give a short chuckle, but it was probably her imagination.

The rest of the night followed in a similar way. Holtz, despite the sleep she saw slowly growing in his eyes, kept up his humor and charm, the sun rising as he cracked yet another joke. Ilene had laughed almost the entire time. By the time the sun was rising, she was exhausted from travelling and from laughing so hard.

Heaving a sigh, she sat down as they finally reached the trees that spanned near the mountain side, and leaned against one. Her eyes fluttered closed as Holtz and Kratos set up camp, and she wasn't even aware that she'd fallen asleep until she woke up inside a tent, covered with a crisp blanket. Night had fallen again, but she didn't let it bother her.

Instead, she let her mind drift once again, pleasant thoughts swirling in her mind before the bad ones came.

Soon, she was thinking about the trial that was waiting at the upcoming altar. What creature would she have to face? Would they be able to defeat it?

Memories of what the priests had told her she'd undergo came back.

The first seal. She was supposed to get her wings and lose her ability to taste. Following, she'd lose her ability to sleep, feel and speak… but then, at least, she'd become an angel. The priests had assured her that those were the only sacrifices she'd have to make and then she'd govern over the land with the Goddess Martel.

That thought was the only reassuring thing. That all of her suffering would end with something worthwhile. If she managed to make it to the Tower of Salvation, she'd be able to bring judgment upon the unjust and spread peace throughout the land.

A few human traits were worth the trade if it meant she could finally stabilize the world.

Even with her eyes closed though, her thoughts lingered on what she was going to lose. Her ability to taste, and, if the trial was too difficult, she could very well lose her life. Worse, she might lose someone she loved.

As she drifted off into a restless sleep, her last thought was about the priests. The words they hadn't spoken with their voices, but with their eyes. Even now she wondered… what had they been hiding when they told her about becoming an angel?

That was the last thought before she drifted off into unconsciousness.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Time for Friday's post! Thanks to all of the readers and the new follower,** Reina Ann Vilre**.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

* * *

_Chapter by Orangepotato_

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_**Holtz Capella: Now's Hardly the Time for an Adventure.**_

Ilene leaned against one of the nearby trees, sleep evident in her features. Holtz was going to go and make sure she was okay, but he quickly saw her breathing even out and she slumped a bit. She was sound asleep.

"She must have been tired," the red head commented, flicking his eyes to his sister and back to the auburn. The mercenary –what was his name? – only nodded. He was busy setting up the tents and unloading his pack. Food sacks dropped out along with a canteen of water.

That only reminded Holtz of how tired he was as well.

With a sigh, he sat himself on the ground and dug through his backpack, finding a few berries and popping them in his mouth. The sweet taste was quickly washed down with the warm water and he let out a sigh.

He watched with careful gray eyes as the mercenary finished pitching the tents and left the area. Belted uniform disappearing into the trees, the red head let out a low growl. Who did that guy think he was anyways? What sort of qualifications did he have to become the Chosen's bodyguard?

In irritation, he ate a few more berries, swallowed some water and finally shoved it all in his pack again. He knew that would tide him over till dinner, but he'd have to find something to cook over a fire.

That meant he'd have to go out into the forest alone and fetch something, especially since he didn't know where that mercenary went.

Standing and stretching, he shot a look over to his sleeping sister, wondering if it was really alright to leave her alone. It wasn't like they'd seen any Desians lately and the monsters were all probably sleeping for the night… though plenty of night crawlers probably surrounded the area-

"Could you get a fire started?" The mercenary spoke, his voice startling the red head.

Jolted from his thoughts, he quickly spun around to see the auburn with a large animal being dragged behind him. It's legs had been roped off and a large gash came from his head.

Dinner, apparently.

Anger boiled in Holtz' veins.

"You didn't have to do that," he commented dryly, "I was just about to go find something to eat."

"I saved time, then."

He twitched an eyebrow in irritation. What did this mercenary want to do, make him mad? It was like he did that on purpose… like he could read Holtz' thoughts.

Shaking the disturbing thought away, the red head growled in frustration and then stormed into the woods, aiming to get some firewood. His gray eyes darted along the forest floor. Lush grass surrounded tall and beautiful trees, red sunlight spilling in from the top of the canopy. It tinted the usually green leaves in reds and oranges, making it look like the place was aglow.

It didn't take long to find some sticks in the low light. He spotted the black masses along the ground and picked them up, carrying them in his arms as he found them. He was even lucky enough to find some large chunks of wood, the dry bark curling along the edges.

Carefully, he made his way back, the light eventually fading from the leaves, leaving only darkness in its wake. Just as the last bit of sunlight left the earth, Holtz made it back to the campsite… only to see that the mercenary had started a fire already.

"The hell!" He threw down all of the wood he'd collected, glaring daggers at the auburn man. He only got an inquisitive eyebrow. "What is that?" Jabbing a finger to the crackling fire, Holtz made his way to the blaze and looked down at the mercenary, towering above the seated man.

It was the only time he was taller. Otherwise, he stood only at the stoic man's shoulders.

He repeated his question, more venom in his voice, and the older man replied, "It's a fire."

"The hell kind of answer is that? Of course it's a fire! I want to know what it's doing here!"

"Cooking the food," the mercenary dead panned. He gestured to the roasting animal over the red flames. They licked at the skinned carcass greedily, smoke plums rising into the night sky as the feast baked.

Growling, the red head shouted, "Stop being such a bastard and answer me straight!"

If the other man was upset with the outburst, he didn't show it. Instead, clear disinterest was in his wine colored eyes, "I've given you a straight answer, I'm sorry it's not satisfactory." He certainly didn't sound apologetic.

Heaving a sigh of frustration, Holtz sat himself on the ground and glared into the fire, "You know what? Never mind. I'll leave the wood I collected here and the next Chosen can have it."

He honestly hadn't been expecting some sort of reply, "Do you believe your sister will fail?"

Flicking a glance over to the mercenary, the red head took a deep breath, the swirl of roasting meat and smoke filling his lungs. Did he expect Ilene to fail? Well, he hoped he could convince her to leave…

"This journey is unpredictable. Who knows what'll happen."

"Shouldn't one born of faith believe that things will turn out alright?"

Holtz scoffed, "That's pretty presumptuous, wouldn't you agree?"

"I suppose you're right. After all, I was born into religion and still am unsure."

Now that was strange. Holtz turned to face the mercenary, who was gazing up at the stars. He couldn't quite make out the older man's face, but there seemed to be something serious there. As if he was speaking about something else.

The red head commented, "You don't believe in Martel, either?"

The auburn shook his head, "I'm unsure."

"You saw an angel, right? You're escorting the Chosen… and you don't believe any of that crap?"

The older man turned to face Holtz, "I'm simply unsure. Yes, I saw the angel and you will too at this next temple, but doubts are not so easily cast aside."

Looking back to the fire, Holtz watched the reds and oranges mix and crackle. For some reason, he found it odd that the mercenary didn't believe in Martel. It just seemed like it'd be part of the job description when the priests were hiring someone. _Be strong, be willing to take long treks and believe in Martel. _

Inwardly, he shrugged. He supposed he was the one being presumptuous now.

He turned back towards the auburn –whatever his name was – only to see that he was staring up at the stars again.

"Someone you love up there, gramps?"

"You mean someone who's dead?"

"Well, you're old enough. Everyone you know is probably up there."

He faced the teen, "The stars just give me comfort. They're predictable, unlike life."

"Oh God," the red head twisted away from the mercenary, "Don't try to teach me any life lessons here, gramps, I'm only fifteen years old."

He could almost hear the older man roll his eyes.

Standing, the red head moved to where his sister slept. She was still leaning against the tree, head resting on her chest. He watched her as she took light breaths, feeling a small wave of relief echo through him.

Gingerly, he picked her up and moved her to a tent. Embarrassment covered his face as he remembered that he'd have to disrobe her, so he opted to only take off exterior clothing. If she woke up in the night, she could undress herself. He managed to slip her jacket off and her shoes and socks, leaving her dress and pants in place. Snatching up a light blanket, he tossed it over her and left. He'd have something to eat and then get some rest himself. It was going to be a long day tomorrow.

They both ate in silence, the mercenary finishing and storing the rest of the food. It'd probably last them a few days, so he decided to bring some. It'd save them the trouble of having to hunt down more food. Then, he exited to his own tent, leaving the red headed teen alone.

Holtz ate his share and then put out the fire, crawling into his sister's tent and curling nearby. With a cotton blanket pulled over his head, he drifted off into sleep.

It was Ilene who woke him, and the three of them tore down the camp site and began their journey up the mountainside. The mercenary had pointed to an area that had been exposed in the daylight. It was a deep cavern in one of the mountain faces, darkness welling up inside of it as if no amount of light could penetrate it.

Ilene agreed that that was their destination.

The trek took half the day, many of the monsters being easily defeated. Most didn't even bother to come around.

As they reached the crease in the earth, Ilene poked her head in.

"I can just make out something further in… come on." Holtz cut in front of the auburn mercenary to walk next to his sister. Secretly, he hoped he'd made the man mad.

"Sis, how can you see anything?"

"Your eyes get used to it."

After a few seconds, even he could make out shapes in the shadows.

"I guess," he muttered.

They walked in silence, the inky blackness seemingly absorbing all sound. It wasn't until they'd walked for a good half hour that they began seeing something in the distance. Golden beams of light filtered in from the roof and there, in the middle of a large opening, was a towering black building.

The front had a few twisted pathways, each surrounded by dark purple columns and ending with a doorway that entered the unknown. There was a stillness around the area that bothered Holtz. Hesitation rolled through his muscles as they approached. Every nerve in his body screamed _You are not wanted! Leave now!_

"Is this it?" He questioned.

It was the mercenary who responded, "It seems to be."

"The Temple of Darkness…" Ilene's eyes traveled over the area one more time, and then she walked forward. The two men followed, all three entering the nearest door, darkness swallowing them whole.

Inside was pitch black. Even after he found a wall, Holtz had no sense of direction. Whether they needed to walk up or down, to the left or right… the only sense he got was that the temple went further underground. While his brain imagined a gaping hole in the middle of the floor, he stated the obvious, "Man it's dark in here."

"So it would seem," the auburn spoke.

_So it would seem? _What kind of statement was that? Had it not 'seemed' that way before? Holtz growled at the older man, "How are we going to make it to the altar if we can't even see?"

"We use a light," Ilene commented. She rustled around in her bag for a second and then, something flickered and a small prickle of light came from her fingertips. In her hand was a match, the red flame barely doing anything to the darkness.

"Great job sis. Now all we have to do is light up a billion more of those and I might be able to see my toes."

The mercenary stated dully, "there's a rumor that a blue candle is necessary to discern the room through the darkness."

"A _blue _candle?" Came Holtz disbelieving reply.

"Yes. The Meltokio Research Facility is supposed to have one."

"Oh. How useful. Why don't I run back to Meltokio and grab it for us?" The sarcasm in the red head's response was thick, "You couldn't have said something back in Meltokio?"

"It's a rumor. That, and the research facility has been underfunded for years. Who knows if they have the blue candle at all."

Ilene let out a sigh, putting out the match light. It took a moment, but she soon returned light to the room, this time in the way of a torch. The end glow amber, making only their nearest surroundings escape from the shadows.

"This'll work. We'll just walk carefully."

Holtz stepped gingerly over to where his sister was, "I have an idea. Let's let gramps here take the lead. If he falls and breaks his hip, we know it's the wrong way."

The auburn's low voice resonated through the air, "An excellent plan except that it'll only work once. If we chose incorrectly again, it could be disastrous." He seemed utterly unfazed by Holtz' constant badgering, which only infuriated the teen more.

"Well, you're just going to have to be a trooper there, gramps."

The older man stepped past the siblings and started leading the way. He remained relatively close, however. His feet barely left the small amount of light as they travelled through the temple.

The pathways were rather spacious, but Holtz could tell, even in their limited light, that one wrong step would send them tumbling over the edge. He got the feeling that it wouldn't be a small drop, either. One would probably fall to their death if they stepped into the abyss.

Absently, he wondered how many Chosens had stepped into the abyss, plummeting to their demise.

He pondered it as they travelled down path after path. It seemed like it only grew darker, the air becoming chilled the deeper they went. He was about to say something when the ground beneath them leveled out and he could scarcely make out a large dome in the shadows.

"What is that?"

"The altar it would seem." The auburn remarked.

Ilene handed off the light, gently making her way to the dome and up a few steps or so.

The red head watched as his sister reached around, probably finding the altar. Just as he was about to approach to give her some light, the mercenary stuck his hand out.

"What?"

"Don't interfere. The Chosen is doing her duty."

"I was just going to give her some light, but if you want her to trip and fall on some pointy statue or something, then I'll just wait here."

Since the man didn't move, Holtz assumed he _did _want Ilene to fall on some pointy statue.

"Hey!" he called out to his sister, "Watch out for deadly decorations!"

She gave a light chuckle, but no response.

Shifting uneasily between his feet, the teen felt an icy drop in the temperature as his sister apparently found something. It was an unreal feeling. It'd already been cold, but now the temperature was freezing. Shivering, he looked to the auburn to see that the man seemed unaffected by the chill.

"You too old to feel anything, gramps?" he jabbed, but there was no heart in it. Instead, fear began rising in his chest. He just wanted it to be over with. Calling out, he caught his sister's attention, "Hey! How long does it take the Great Chosen to find an altar?"

The humor in her voice was thin, like she was just as scared as he was, "The Great Chosen takes her time."

As if on cue, a loud noise boomed through the air. Startled, Holtz jumped, dropping the torch onto the ground.

"Shit!" He knelt down to grab for it, but heard Ilene shout from in front of him. For one second, the room lit up with light. The pure white energy poured out of his sister's crystal and twisted around the room. The altar in front sparked, forming something in the center of it. Just as the light was fading out, Holtz saw what beast was before them.

It was a large creature with a snapping mouth. Its long snout was colored a sickly green and razor sharp teeth decorated its lips. Fur and feathers fluttered down its neck and legs, front legs colored orange and red while its back legs were brown and stubby in nature.

It gave off a horrible gurgle, eyes narrowing in on Ilene.

Holtz' heart stopped beating as darkness consumed them.

He heard a loud, quick shuffling and then the grunt of his sister. She gave off a small yelp and then was running in a different direction.

"Ilene!" He called.

Unfortunately, it seemed to catch the attention of the monster.

"Shit!" He heard the long nails of the creature's front feet clacking against the cobblestone ground as it raced towards him. In desperation, he fumbled with his sword, darting backwards as the creature ran over the torch, extinguishing the only light source they had.

Now in complete darkness, Holtz brought his blade up right as the monster swung for him, claws digging into his skin as it knocked him to the left.

Crying out, he landed on the ground and rolled. His thoughts swam and he desperately tried to get his footing. As he heard the terrible creature running for him again, a low chant came to his ears and the next thing he knew, lightning filled the air, sparking around the creature in a momentary burst of light.

The red head shot a glance over to the mercenary who was already letting off another spell.

Red hot lava scorched the creature's legs as it dashed over to its new target, teeth bared in fury. Just as it was charging the auburn, he jumped out of the way and sliced his blade into the soft golden fun of the monster. It let out a howl as the mercenary kept the creature's attention focused on him.

Ilene was at Holtz side a moment later, and even though he could only see his sister when there were flashes of light from spells, he could see her determination.

"We'll attack it together," she said.

Nodding, the red head prepared himself but wasn't even able to charge forward when a voice echoed off of the walls.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't the Chosen of Tethe'alla. It's a pleasure." Surrounded by Desians, all of whom carried torches, was a tall man with blonde cropped hair. His uniform was crisp. Gray and black colored it, shining silver armor covering his shoulders and chest. There was an intimidating attitude about him, making Holtz' heart seize in his chest. The Desian's blue eyes narrowed and his face was serious. His voice portrayed nothing but slight annoyance, "You're nothing but a casualty of war, I'm afraid." He snapped his fingers and a swarm of Desians ran down the ramp and entered the fray. Right as several of them made it to Holtz and Ilene, the top Desian said, "Curse your fate, Chosen. Not the one who deigned it."


	11. Chapter 11

****A/N: Here's the next chapter. Thank you to all of the readers and a special thanks to **TwilightXGoddess** for giving this story a favorite.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

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_Chapter written by Emil Lime_

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_**Kratos Aurion: Chosen Project (Tethe'alla), Status-Incomplete**_

He hadn't heard them coming, the heavy footfall being masked by the barrage of spells and roars that filled every corner of the altar room. Kratos had only noticed them when his eyes caught sight of them as he twisted around to check on the location of the siblings.

Standing from wall to wall of the entrance, desians cloaked in grey and black smirked under their helmets as they beamed at the Chosen and her brother, the two standing wide-eyed before the slaughter.

"Damn it," Kratos ducked down, narrowly missing being swept across the room by the monster's mighty paw, "Move!"

It was like watching everything in slow motion, Ilene coming to life as the words exited his mouth. She grabbed Holtz' wrist, tugging him right as the first wave of desians rushed forward, swords drawn.

There was a massive clang, metal ringing as it hit the stone floor beneath. Kratos let the words leave his lips as the mana formed as his fingertips, "Thunder Blade!" Massive amounts of lightning mana circled above the desians, the entirety of it collapsing on top of them in the shape of a sword, bolts of electricity shooting out from where it hit the ground.

They let out several screams as Kratos' attention was turned back to the monster before him. It was growling at him, launching a massive claw towards him as he jumped back. "Eruption!" Light blasted through the air as the lava spewed forth, splashing onto the guardian who wailed out.

He took his opening, running towards the Chosen and her brother, stopping beside them just as the light of the spell dimmed and everything receded into darkness. Even with his advanced senses, the darkness created by the summoned spirit was too dense, making it impossible for anyone to see.

For Kratos, that was an advantage. The half-elves couldn't see them, leaving Kratos' better than average hearing as the key to their success. He could hear the desians scramble their words, trying to find some way of seeing each other.

"Chosen," it was barely above a whisper, the mercenary leaning close to Ilene's ear to speak into it. She gave a jolt, the warmth of his breath an intense temperature difference inside the icy room. "We must defeat the guardian first. When it is dead, you can perform the oracle." There was a nod there, her curls brushing against Kratos' nose.

He could hear the beast growl, smelling them out. He listened as the two beside him turned towards the monster as well, Holtz muttering out, "What the hell are we going to do about fluffy?"

He wasn't even going to ask why they were suddenly naming the guardians, "Holtz, you and I will take it out quickly. Chosen, head towards the altar once the light has illuminated it. When that happens, the desians will come after you so be ready to defend yourself." There was a shuffle of clothing and the auburn hoped it was a nod.

His grip on his sword tightened, palm coming to rest on the blade. Mana began to swirl through it, a small glimmer of light appearing around him. The desians' voices echoed into the silent chamber, "There they are!"

"Get them!"

"Indignation!" The entire room was attacked by light, white heat fluttering to every corner, destroying all shadows. Holtz charged forward as the swirling electricity surrounded the monster, burning its flesh and instantly electrocuting several desians who'd moved to close. Pulling back his bow string, he launched several arrows.

"Star Stroke!" A flurry of arrow heads exited his bow, each one landing in the beast's hide. It let out a hideous roar, stumbling back before turning and swinging its tail towards the teen. Bracing himself, he was hit, sending him across the room.

"Holtz!" The Chosen shouted. She was about to head towards him when her brother called to her, making her stop in her tracks.

"Don't sis! Get to the altar! Gramps and I can handle the pussy-cat!"

The light died away, fading into black. Kratos, summoning up his strength, pushed himself further, he threw out another indignation, the light coming back to life in an instant. He could see the desians were on their way to the altar, Ilene's sword at the ready.

Holtz had gotten up, too, running towards the monster with his arrow pulled back, "No more mister nice guy, kitty!" Mana gathered at the tip of the arrow, launching forward and striking the creature in the forehead just as the spell finished its course and filtered back into black.

The consuming sound of footsteps flooding the altar didn't stop Kratos from roaring out, "Now, Chosen, activate the altar!" He could hear her hands come together, the light from the crystal beginning to flood the area.

Everyone recoiled back, blinded for a mere second as she began to pray the words she'd been taught as a small child, "Oh Goddess Martel, Great Protector and Nurturer of the Earth…Grant Me thy Strength…" Instantly, the altar flashed awake, a white, pure light piercing the darkness, feathers fluttering down all around them.

Kratos turned, seeing the desian's head man growling, teeth bare and fists clenched. "No, this wasn't supposed to happen."

"Holtz!" The awe-struck brother shook his head, looking at Kratos before giving a nod. The two began attacking the desians, the clash of metal on metal filling the chamber as Ilene listened to the words of the angel.

Dropping down, Kratos kicked the desian's legs from under him. Falling to the ground, the mercenary's sword found its way to the enemy's throat, slicing it. Blood sprayed everywhere as more came towards him, weapons raised.

Sweeping his sword across, the decapitated them before kicking one of their bodies back, knocking over a couple of the advancing men.

Charging a spell quickly, mana left his fingertips as more huddled close, "Grave!" Several spikes rose from the ground, impaling the desians who gurgled a little before dying. Stabbing his sword through another man beyond the spell, he could feel the weight begin to set onto him. He'd used too much magic, even his immortal body beginning to become stressed.

It was slight, but he was breathing harder than he usually did when he fought.

Was he that out of shape? Had it been so long since he'd had a real challenge that now, upon facing one, he wasn't as ready as he thought he'd be?

The clatter of swords crashing together caught Kratos' attention. He span around, seeing Holtz push an enemy back before slashing him across the gut. As crimson stained the teen, he glared back at the mercenary. "What's the matter, old man? You're old bones getting tired? Need to sit this one out?" He grinned from ear to ear, similar to a child who'd just gotten a rather large piece of candy, before turning back to what he was doing. Stabbing another desian, Holtz moved into the mess again, leaving Kratos' vision.

The man huffed softly to himself. It was the first time Holtz had actually managed to insult the auburn. No, not with his 'witty' words but instead by killing someone Kratos had managed to let get inside of his parameter. Getting his mind back on track, he decided he'd think about this new found weakness later. For now, he needed to take out the remaining desians as the Chosen finished talking to Archer.

Taking several more swings, Kratos watched as the angelic figure made its way back up, wings carrying him away and with him, the light.

Now or never.

Pulling every last bit of mana into his palm, he summoned forth the only spell he could think of that could cut through the plastered stone walls of the chamber, "Air Thrust!" Green blades danced across the entrance, stone wall being cut into pieces before falling to the ground, revealing the pathway. Several desians were sliced as well, harsh screams of agony coming to his ears. He wasted no time with them, however. Releasing another Air Thrust, the remaining guards at the doorway were sliced to ribbons, the head commander running into the darkness to avoid the hoard of vicious blades.

"Chosen, Holtz!" The two came running to him, the light given off by the spell just barely enough to see with. When they reached the mercenary, he grabbed hold of both of their arms, pulling them forward and racing threw the gaping entrance, careful not to trip on the riddled pieces of half-elf that littered the area.

It didn't take long for the overwhelming darkness to engulf them, Kratos' sense of direction failing him since he wasn't sure which way he was currently heading. Using his ears, he listened for the echoing of their footsteps bouncing off the walls to direct himself. Taking a sharp turn, Ilene let out a small scream as their new course was taken.

Behind them, the shouts and calls of desians, anger in their words as they stormed forward, footsteps alive in such a dark place. It only made it easier for the auburn to 'see', however.

Taking another turn and then another, they entered what Kratos could only guess was the open hall, several floor open above them. The echoing took longer to reach him, the reverb sounding more distant than it previously had. Pulling them down a long passage way, they entered a thin space. Stumbling over the first couple stairs, he and the siblings made their way up it before coming to a rest at the base of the second set. Squeezing the two behind the stairs, into makeshift hiding, he put himself there last, weapon drawn.

It felt like hours that they were squished there, silence coming and going with the sound of desian footfall. They were just as blind as their prey, making the search difficult. None, however, ever entered the staircase room, most likely due to the fact that it was hidden away, doors tucked behind walls and darkness. None the less, the mercenary wouldn't dare move from this position until he was sure they'd given up.

After another long while passed and silence remained their companion, he shifted a little, listening closer. "I think they've gone." His whisper sounded like he'd just shouted his words to them, making him flinch.

_This room makes far too much noise…_

"You think so?" Ilene's voice also echoed harshly.

Giving a nod, but remembering they couldn't see that, he spoke, "Yes, so it would seem. However…" Listening again, he shifted his head a little, as if trying to receive satellite signal, "That doesn't mean they aren't waiting outside for us."

Holtz let out a long sigh, "Then how the hell are we going to get out of here?"

The mercenary was thinking the exact same thing. No doubt, with all of the trouble the desians had gone through of trekking deep into the temple, they would opt to stay outside for a while, seeing if they could wait them out.

At least from Kratos' military experience, that's what he would do.

Moving out of the squished space, he stretched before speaking, "You two wait here. I'll go check things out."

"How are you going to see, gramps? If I can't see in here with my _young _eyes, you sure as hell won't see with your _old_ ones." Ignoring Holtz comment, he started walking, hand placed on the cool stone as he guided his way up the remaining stairs. There was a huff from the angry brother and a small giggle from the Chosen before Kratos exited the area and walked into the open top floor.

Continuing to grope the walls, he eventually found the entrance, where he quitted his footing and listened intently. Outside, he could tell it was daybreak, the sound of birds whistling their pleasant good mornings came to him. There were, however, other sounds. Scuffing feet, tired sighs, and exasperated moans.

It was as he'd feared. The desians were waiting for them to waltz out unexpectedly. This desian Cardinal had obviously grossly misjudged Kratos' attention to detail. That didn't matter, though, as Kratos now had bigger issues.

He was only aware of one entrance into the temple and that one was currently occupied. Without being able to see them, he had no idea if they were within his league of taking out, especially when every limb ached from his overuse of casting.

Sighing inwardly, he scolded himself for not being as prepared as he should have been. Turning around, he figured they'd have to think of something clever to get out. Something that was easier said than done.

When he reached the two teens again, both had been as quiet as could be and he inwardly puzzled if Holtz had somehow died while he was away. Of course, the first voice to greet him was that of the red haired teenager, "So, find anything out, old man?"

"They're guarding the exit, as I assumed."

"So how are we getting out of here?" Ilene moved out of the corner she'd been inhabiting for forever, dusting off her travel dress and coat. Holtz followed suit, standing and, from the sound of his clothes, crossing his arms. "Is there any other route?"

Another route. He wasn't sure there was one but from what he'd learned during schooling and his countless years of reading materials that'd been gathered in the Kharlan library, he'd learned that temples such as this were usually built with special exits, ones used in case of collapse. However, those old exit shafts hadn't been used in eons and the chances of them still being usable was slim.

This building had been standing long before the ancient Kharlan Wars of nearly 3000 years ago. He wasn't sure if even the foundation was safe to tread upon.

"There might be other pathways, built long ago in case of collapse."

Holtz most likely shot him a look, "Other pathways? Where did you read that, gramps? Or were you around when they built this Martel-forsaken place?"

Ilene gave a shushing noise to her brother before speaking, "Then let's try to find them. We don't know how long those desians will be there and I'm not going to postpone this journey to wait them out."

"Then take my hand, Chosen, and then take your brothers." Once their chain had been made, they began walking through the darkness, each step they took being tentative in case it plummeted into darkness. Each kept their free hand on the wall, searching for anything that would turn onto another pathway, breaking free from their normal walking.

Upon reaching the open space below, Kratos broke free and began searching the walls. He could hear the other two do the same, Ilene being the first to exclaim, "I think I found something." He listened as her voice disappeared a little, sound being eaten up by the enclosed space she'd just stepped into. "It seems to be some kind of thin walkway. I wonder if it leads outside."

Kratos, making his way towards her soft voice carefully, reached the wall and fumbled before finding what she was talking about. "So it would see. Holtz, come on."

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Keep your Depends on, will you?" The sound of heavy footfall, the redhead brother running, came to Kratos' ears and instantly he knew something was off. From the sounds of it, Holtz had managed to make his way up a walkway, broken edges surrounding it. Dashing out as well, Kratos reached Holtz location just as it happened.

There was a sudden slide, the gravel and stone giving way, Holtz along with it. He barely had time to let out a scream as the auburn reached and grabbed hold of his arm. The force slammed Kratos to the ground but he continued to dig his fingers into the brother's arm tightly. Using all of the strength he could muster, Kratos yanked Holtz up, pulling him onto the platform before leaning back, sucking in a deep breath.

He could hear Holtz panting, fear evident in the way is body was shaking. "Shit…"

"Are you two okay?" Ilene called from her spot, though she was smart enough not to come running to their aide. Kratos was grateful for that. Standing up, pulling Holtz to his feet as well, the two made their way to the Chosen, slipping into the thin hallway and heading into the darkness it held.

It wasn't long, however, before the scent of clean air came to them, Ilene speaking up at that, "Finally, the outside world. I hope I don't go blind upon seeing the sun." There was a grin in her words.

"Don't you dare go blind, sis. I don't want to have to deal with _two_ handicaps on this journey."

"Don't you mean three? You have an affinity with trying to fall from high places," she teased, the previous incident as well as the one from the mountains coming back to Kratos' mind. Maybe next time he wouldn't save the ungrateful brat. Of course, that would probably devastate Ilene and prolong this journey far more than it needed to be.

Sighing to himself, he continued walking without a word, the two teens making conversation as they went.

It was mid-afternoon when they finally got outside, the glaring sun causing them all to shade their eyes. Kratos, walking past the two who'd paused at the entrance, reoriented himself, looking around as best he could to locate just where this had landed them on the map.

The smell of the coast was near them, the cool breeze brushing against their skin carrying sea salt. Looking behind them, he could see the mountain that housed the temple of darkness and he figured they'd come out from the rear.

"We're close to the town of Alta Reel, we should head there and take a ship out tomorrow morning…" He paused, waiting for some kind of response from either of the two. When nothing came, he looked back at them, "What did the angel say about our next location?"

"Go to were the winter never become spring, a land that is cased in ice that lies far to the north-east."

Holtz scratched his head, "where the hell is that?"

"Most definitely Flanoir." Kratos got a frown from Holtz but ignored it yet again. Looking to the Chosen, she nodded. Starting forward, he didn't want to waste time. If they hurried, they could be there before nightfall. Meaning that the morning would come and they'd be on the open sea. Inwardly, the mercenary was excited. He liked the sea, always had. There was something all-powerful about the raging waters, claiming and saving whom they choose.

His musing were interrupted when Ilene dropped to her knees, pain stricken across her face. "Sis!" Holtz bent down, holding her in his arms, "Sis, what's wrong?" He looked her up and down, grey eyes filled with concern.

Kratos knew exactly what was going on, though he wasn't sure how much to reveal given the angel, Archer, might not have mentioned the pain that came with the trials. Bending down instead, he looked her over. "It looks like she'll have to be carried. Let's get her to a doctor in town."

For the first time on the journey, Holtz didn't snap any comebacks or witty responses to Kratos. Instead, he worked to pick Ilene up, making her as comfortable as possible on his back, before walking forwards, Kratos at his side.

They made it to the town by nightfall, just as Kratos had hoped. Holtz wasted no time locating an Inn, desperately ringing the small bell on the desk to get service. When the older gentlemen came, he offered them a room for the night, Kratos quickly paying the fee and heading to the room. They got Ilene situated, covering her with a warm blanket and laying a cool rag on the top of her head. Holtz wouldn't leave her side, sitting at the edge of her bed, all the while holding her hand in his.

"Will she be okay?"

"We'll have to wait and see. I'll locate a doctor in the morning…" The angelic transformation would be over by then, he knew, but it wasn't like he could tell Holtz that. They would take her to the doctor who would inform them that she was perfectly fine. Most likely they'd tell her she'd pushed herself to hard or that she was over exerted from the fighting. None of that was true, though, but Holtz didn't know that.

Stepping towards the door, Holtz shot him a glare, "Where are you going?"

"Too scout the town. I want to make sure there are no desians here." With that, he left, heading into the lobby before entering the town, feet guiding him to the ocean. There, he could clear his head and let his mind ease away his troubles. Since he couldn't actually sleep, he'd meditate instead.

Standing on the low wooden docks, he sat at the very end of one, sucking in a deep breath. It calmed him instantly, eating away the growing stress in his muscles. Relaxing a little, he only tensed when he noticed another presence behind him. He didn't turn around, already knowing who it was.

"So you've finally come, Yuan."

"Yggdrasill is furious." Yuan's non-chalant voice smoothed over Kratos' ears. Making his way beside the auburn, though continuing to stand, he looked down at the mercenary who currently sat in a cross legged position with his palms facing up upon his knees. Wine colored eyes gazed back at the bluenette, who let out a sigh, "Do you have any idea why the desians attacked?"

Kratos knew that once the angel, Archer, saw the chaos that was ensuing in the shrine room, he'd report instantly to Lord Yggdrasill. As Kratos had hoped, the angry leader sent Yuan to speak to Kratos, to get to the bottom of this newly found development.

Looking away from Yuan, he focused on the ocean in front of him, "All I know is that an unidentifiable amount of desian Cardinals are starting an uprising."

"Unidentifiable? What's that supposed to mean?"

Shaking his head, he continued to gaze at the open blue, "The source I received this information from wouldn't tell me how many of them have turned sour. At this moment, I know of two."

Yuan looked shaken by that number and Kratos honestly couldn't blame him. If two had become infected, it was very possible that others would soon defect. Taking a deep breath through his nose, he asked, "Well this is far worse than we feared…"

"That it is."

There was a pause, Yuan letting out a long breath before speaking again, "Which ones?"

There was no hesitation in his voice as he spoke the names, "Huey and Vyra."

Yuan whistled, taking another deep breath before sighing it out. He was clearly stressed, no doubt getting the full grunt of Yggdrasill's anger at the situation. Looking at his friend, he muttered, "So the Cardinals near the Earth and Darkness Temple."

With a nod, Kratos stood up before placing a hand on his hilt. His eyes scanned the horizon, the reflection of the moon highlighting the waves with silver lining. The two didn't say anything for a long while, both staring at nothing in particular before Yuan spoke again, "I'll let him know. You're sure this isn't the work of the Renegades?"

"Yes." He'd worked with desians, trained them, helped the Cardinals execute strict discipline to keep them in line. He'd been among these men and Kratos was 100% certain this was not the work of the Renegades. Also, he'd seen Huey, the blonde man holding back a snarl when the battle had started turning against him.

"Alright," Yuan turned around, stepping off the dock before turning back, "This isn't good. You know what's next, right?" Kratos only nodded, making the blue haired half-elf scowl, "You be careful, Kratos. Don't trust anyone except yourself. We have no idea how far this infection has spread. You're in danger no matter where you go."

With that foreboding warning, the half-elf's lavender wings sprang from his back. Flapping them a couple of times, he moved skyward, disappearing into the darkness of the night sky.

Kratos walked back into town, the issues weighing heavily on his mind. Everything that had happened on this journey was so far from normal, it was bothering the mercenary. There really was no one he could trust other than himself. Anyone else could be working for the desians. His best bet was to do as he always did, keep his distance.

Reaching the Inn, he entered the room only to see Holtz had collapsed beside his sister, both fast asleep and far away from the threats of this world.


	12. Chapter 12

****A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. An emergency came up and that had to come first. But here's the next chapter. Thanks to everyone who's reading this story. It means a lot to Emil Lime and myself.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

* * *

_Chapter by Emil Lime_

* * *

_**Rin-Tins Ross: If I look up, maybe I can see the heavens…**_

The small town of Alta Reel wasn't exactly a tourist town and visitors were few and far between. The main function of the small wooden Inn at the center of town was to house the tiny number of sailors who stopped by. It was usually the ships that were considered too 'small-time' for the major docking town just northeast of Alta Reel.

So when it was learned that a travelling group had stopped to stay in the Inn for the night, there was an instant flutter of tongues in town. Gossip spread like wild fire, everyone saying it was some high level noble who'd come with his mistress. Either that, or it was some rich teenagers running away together. Whatever the story, scandal was involved.

Typical of a small city, something unusual happens and everything involves sex and drugs. Rin-Tins had learned to ignore it as she made her way through the small market place. She was low on food currently and was seeking to rectify that situation. However, the constant chatter of the people around her had slowed down the shop owners, who also wanted a piece of the action.

Reaching one of the many vending carts along the town streets, she plucked a couple of apples and oranges from its top, waiting patiently for the owner to turn towards her. Her golden eyes scanned the area, searching for the so-called 'visitors' who mystified the tiny town. Being rather short for her age, everyone covered the area rather well.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Rin-Tins." Her attention was brought back to the cart, eyes scanning the face of the man.

"That's okay," she handed him the produce and he bagged it, telling her the price as she pulled the money out of her pocket and handed it to him. Making the trade, the two gave nods to each other before she turned, running into someone.

Mumbling an apology, she looked up to see a rather tall auburn, his eyes colored like rust. He was looking down at her, no emotion leaking out of his features.

"I'm sorry."

"That's fine…" She moved out of the way, inching to the side as he walked forward, examining the cart owner's things. It was then that she noticed _everyone_ was looking at him, spying him out of the corner of their eyes.

He was definitely one of those visitors, his white and purple outfit strapped to the brim with belts. A large sword hung on his hip, an exsphere embedded in his hand. And if his otherworldly looks weren't enough to give it away, it was the way everyone in town stared at him. Rin-Tins wasn't sure if he was aware of the eyes that were watching him or if he simply didn't care. Regardless, she had to admit, he did look like a Tethe'allan noble who just might have run away to live with a mistress or two.

She stood there, looking him over as he made his selections and spoke to the man, "Excuse me, do you happen to know where I can find a boat to take to Flanoir?"

The owner scratched his head, "Well, you can check the docks but I don't think there are that many vessels that could withstand the severe cold those waters hold."

Rin-Tins had heard fishermen complain about that. Although they weren't that far from Flanoir's oceans, the temperature drop was too much for the wooden boats to take and only so many people could afford steel ships. This guy would have to have a lot of cash on hand to catch a ride with a fishing boat like that.

"I see," was the man's reply as he paid for the things he'd purchased before turning off, heading in the direction of the Inn. Rin-Tins, as well as everyone else, watched him walk away, whispers being left in his wake.

The shop owner muttered to no one in particular, "Even if he does find a boat, I have no idea how he'll get onto the continent…"

Rin-Tins turned around, raising a sandy blonde eyebrow, "Why's that?"

"Well," he scratched his chin, "It's pretty iced over this time of year. It's nearly winter after all."

Giving him a nod before she left, her feet carried her back to her shop. It was both home and work for her, figuring she didn't need to own two places when she could simply live above her workshop. Pushing open the wooden door, she was greeted with shelves upon shelves of bolts and tools, some larger pieces of machinery hanging upon the walls or scattered along the ground. There was a check-out counter, onto which she spilled her belongings, and beyond that there was a door that lead behind the wall and up a flight of stairs. Climbing said stairs, she walked into her small loft and collapsed on the bed, burying her face in her pillow.

Business in this season was less than superior. Fishermen had no reason to bother with their boats since all of the fish had migrated, and homes didn't need repairs until spring. So, she was pretty much stuck just waiting for some crack job, fixing a fence or repairing someone's pluming.

Of course, that being said, it made it extremely difficult for the carpenter/mechanic to make a living during the cold months. She tried to spread her money, spend it wisely but when a ship breaks open or a roof gets ripped off, major money has to be spent to bring in the parts necessary for fixing it. And, naturally, she was far too nice to ever put much of the burden on her customers. So, instead, she took the hit herself and that always caused trouble during the winter.

There was a sudden chime at the door. Cracking an eye open, Rin-Tins twisted her head out of her pillow and looked at the stairway. Was it possible someone had walked in during her time of need?

Getting up and shuffling down the stairs, her ears were instantly bombarded with words.

"Hey sis, what's this? Can I touch it?" A teenager's voice.

"I don't know, it looks kind of sharp…hey! Don't touch it!" A girl's voice.

"You didn't say I couldn't!" The teenager again.

An exasperated sigh exited the female's lungs as Rin-Tin's came down the rest of the stairs, peeking from behind the wall. "Can I help you?"

Two red haired individuals, possibly the girl and the teenager, stopped what they were doing and looked towards the stairs. They seemed related, even sounded related, but she didn't inquire. Also, she didn't recognize their faces, which made perfect sense when she caught a glimpse of the man in white and purple, coated in belts.

"You're that guy from before," she stepped the rest of the way down, walking forward a few steps and stopping before the counter. He looked at her, seeming to recall her as well.

"What is that supposed to mean, gramps? Is she your one-night-stand? Pretty sick."

"Holtz," the girl's voice was threatening, like she would pick up one of the many tools inside the shop and stab him with it.

The auburn, gramps, shook his head at Holtz' antics before walking towards the desk, "I apologize again for running into you. Are you the one who works here?"

Rin-Tins frowned a little, "Yah, pretty much. My parents aren't around anymore so it's just me." She was expecting the usual reaction, 'how can a girl do this type of job?' or 'all by yourself?'. Honestly, she was used to it. But he didn't say anything at all, just nodded before looking around a little.

"We're in need of a ship that can take us to Flanoir but everyone in town refuses to go out into the waters at this time of year."

"Yeah, wooden boats fracture in the cold water. Also, you've got to watch out for ice bergs and stuff." She tugged on the long scarf she was wearing, fixing it into place before looking at him again. "So why are you here?"

"I was informed that you have a steel plated boat that you lend out to fishermen." He leaned onto the makeshift counter that sat in front of her. His eyes were intense, like he was seeking something from deep within someone else, something only he could see.

With a nod, her long sandy hair sweeping at her sides, she concurred, "I do have a ship but I'm not going to lend it to a bunch of strangers." The red haired girl stepped forward, giving Rin-Tins a look, one that was mixed with sadness and eagerness.

"I'm really sorry that we have to ask you like this, but we have a good reason to get to Flanoir." Gramps shot the girl a look, warning her about her next words. Rin-Tins wondered what that entire situation was about, the gossip from town coming back into her mind and she secretly hoped the older man didn't swing both ways, especially for such a young crowd.

Holtz frowned at her, "Come on. We'll get it back to you…somehow."

"Yeah, 'somehow' isn't going to cut it." Rin-Tins leaned on the counter as well, "Look, if you want a ship, I can build you one. But it'll take me a couple of months, especially since winter is so close."

The girl shook her head, "We don't have a couple of months." Gramps let out a sigh as the girl leaned on the counter, leaning her head down to Rin-Tins level, "Please. I promise I'll do whatever it takes to make this up to you but I really, really, really need to make it to Flanoir."

"Why?" The red haired girl looked puzzled at the shorter girl's question, "Why do you need to get out there so badly? Winter sets early there. Every port is probably iced over anyway."

She looked at gramps who shook his head, causing her to say "We just have to, that's all."

Holtz walked forward as well, Rin-Tins beginning to feel a little crowded, "Come on, shorty. Are you even going to be using your boat for the next couple of weeks?" It wasn't the most valid of questions but it _was_ a definite no. Not that she was going to tell them that.

"Look, I'm not letting you borrow this boat. I wouldn't let you take her even if you were the pope. You got that?" Crossing her arms, she held her ground as the girl and Holtz sighed. Gramps didn't seem bothered, as he continued to look down at her.

"Oh come on," Holtz' voice travelled around the room, "It's a boat. You look like you could build yourself another one if you wanted too." He motioned his arms around the shop, tools and other contraptions which were half-built hanging on the walls.

There was something in the red headed girl's eyes that said she'd just about had enough. Slamming her hands down on the table, she looked Rin-Tins in the eyes, "What if I was the Chosen? Would you let me borrow it then?"

There was silence and, for the first time, gramps actually looked bothered by something. Taking a second to clear the air of the sudden outburst, the girl sighed, "I need that boat because I _am_ the Chosen. I've just cleared the Temple of Darkness and am heading towards Flanoir to what will probably be the Temple of Ice. So please, no one else will help us…"

More silence as Rin-Tins was trying to catch up on the situation. This girl was the Chosen? She was the one who was supposed to regenerate the world? And this was her travelling group? Two men, one looking like it was her younger brother and the other looking as if he could be her father? "Are you really the Chosen?"

The idea of a Chosen made Rin-Tins think of a king, one that was carried around on a golden throne as he waved to the crowd. He'd throw a couple of kisses around and bless a few hands as he went across the globe on some kind of perilous journey. Beside him, he'd have a massive army filled with thousands of the land's greatest warriors. This Chosens' group was _nothing_ like she imagined it would be.

But she had heard that the Chosen had headed out on her journey, after all, everyone in town was so excited about it. Everyone kept talking about the possibility that she was the one, that she would free the world of this nearly 800 year curse. Rin-Tins had been skeptical, per usual, about the entire affair. What made this girl different from any other Chosen? However, she had been secretly excited about the Regeneration, if not just to see the Tower of Salvation.

The girl nodded carefully, "Yes, I'm the Chosen. My name is Ilene Capella and this is my brother, Holtz. He is a hired mercenary named Kratos Aurion."

Rin-Tins considered asking her to prove it, but she felt like that would be childish. Already pretty short for her age, she didn't need to act the age her body portrayed as well. Looking at them all again, she frowned and then sighed. "So let's say you're the Chosen. Why are you here in Alta Reel?"

Ilene began to explain everything, from the desian raid on the Temple of Martel to the gruesome battle that had taken place within the Darkness Temple. She even explained falling ill sometime after the battle with some kind of angelic sickness. That had been the reason for them to rush to Alta Reel as compared to the larger coast city. The bigger city was up the coast line and with Ilene falling ill, they didn't want to risk her becoming worse during the night.

Rin-Tins listened to it all, nodding every once in a while to confirm she was still following. When the redheaded girl was done, the sandy blonde paused and waited. When the girl didn't continue, Rin-Tins bowed her head in thought.

"You're story does sound believable…"

Ilene's eyes filled with relief but her body maintained its tense position, "So, will you let us borrow your ship?"

_This could be my only chance to get close to the tower…_

"My ship has a name, Tokunaga. And yes, I'll let you borrow my ship but with one condition…" Rin-Tins leaned in really close, Ilene doing the same. The two were so close they could feel each other's breath, "You let me come with you as your captain."

There was no hesitation, Ilene nodded and Rin-Tins nodded in return. Holtz let out an angry bellow, "Come on, sis, she's like, ten. She'll only get in the way."

Rin-Tins swirled towards him, "I am not ten! I'll have you know I'm twenty and unless you know how to steer a ship, I highly suggest you take me with you. Besides, your big sister already said yes." There was a smile on her face and Holtz just scowled.

"Go pack your things," Kratos said, motioning towards Rin-Tins.

"Alright!" Heading up the stairs, it didn't take her long to throw together her limited supplies before tromping back down. Her thick boots clomped along the stairs before coming to a stop at the base. "Should I bring a weapon?"

Kratos responded, "Bring whatever makes you feel safe."

Her hands shuffled through a drawer on the counter, pulling out something that looked like a wrench except with a long, thin handle. Pushing it into her bag, Rin-Tins headed towards the door. "My boat's at the end of the dock. She's small but she'll be perfect for this. I hope you guys can appreciate this ship. She's a beaut," Rin-Tins words didn't stop flowing from her lips as she continued to spill forth information about the boat, the Tokunaga, she'd built. Happiness was sprinkled in her eyes, along with a flash of joy. Building things was one of her passion, rather it be of wood or steel. Second to that was talking about them. Even Kratos joined into her conversation, asking questions about what she'd built.

"Are you a boat kind of guy?" She pondered.

"Something like that."

It didn't take them long to reach the end of the dock, though Holtz threw a couple of comments about his ears dying and needing to be revived by the wonderful Chosen into the mix, the entire event went off without a hitch. Boarding the small vessel, Rin-Tins took command of the wheel.

"Flanoir bound?" She asked, to which Ilene nodded with a small smile on her face.

Casting off, Ilene turned towards the shorter girl, head tilted with curiosity, "I never got your name."

"The name's Rin-Tins Ross, Chosen. And I'm happy to be of service."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N:There was an error in Rin-Tins' chapter. They're actually heading North West, but whatever. Thanks to **AccessBlade **for following the story and thanks to all of our wonderful readers out there.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

* * *

_Chapter written by Orangepotato_

* * *

_**Holtz Capella: Now's Hardly the Time for an Adventure.**_

The sea breeze brushed at Holtz' face as the Tokunaga split the ocean waters as it sailed towards the North West. He was leaning over the railing, letting the salty air fill his senses and the noise of rushing water carry away his thoughts. To their left, the rocky cliff sides of the Fooji continent rose from the water's depths, carving the way towards the North. Eventually, Rin-Tins said they'd move away from the cliff face and cut across the ocean towards Flanoir.

Or rather, the continent that Flanoir was on, as that mercenary –whatever his name was – had edited. He'd then gone on to say the continent's name and origins of the snowy place, but the red head had stopped listening.

Closing his eyes, he was now just enjoying the tranquility of the open sea. The only noise was the parting of the ocean water and the wind rushing past his ears...

"Interesting. An open haul design would allow for greater speed," the mercenary spoke, his voice rising above the sounds of nature.

Rin-Tins, the short new comer, responded in her squeaky voice, "Yeah. That's what I thought when I was building it. Plus, I made sure to construct it with alloys that don't break in cold water."

"Smart move. I bet you do a lot of business with Flanoir, especially in the off season."

"Yeah, that's why I needed to create a ship like this one."

"My only question is about the mast. Why did you build it so tall? A more compact design might have made the ship replicable."

"Yeah, well, it's good for spotting ice burgs and the like."

"That's true. What kind of metal is it made out of?"

"Oh! I made that out of-"

Holtz let out an agonized sigh.

They were _still _talking about the stupid ship? How long could they keep it up? Wasn't Rin-Tins supposed to be driving the ship anyways? If she wasn't in control, who was? He gazed out over the rippling waves, trying to ignore the enthusiasm from both parties.

The mercenary was just about to bring up another thing about the ship when the red headed teen interrupted, "Holy Martel, gramps! You're going to wear your dentures out if you keep talking." He span on his heel and faced the two, crossing his arms over his thin chest, "Don't you guys have anything else to talk about?"

The sandy haired girl shrugged, "I like talking about my inventions and if someone's willing to listen, I'll talk even more."

That almost implied that she'd carry on a conversation even if someone wasn't interested, but Holtz didn't ask. Instead, he shoved himself away from the rail of the boat and walked past the two, heading for the stairs in the center of the ship.

Clomping down the stairs and through the narrow hallways, he found the room Ilene had claimed for herself. Since they'd probably be traveling by boat several times during the journey, Rin-Tins had offered each of them a room, and his sister had chosen the most inconveniently placed one.

"Sis, save me. Gramps and Rin-Tins are still talking about boats." He collapsed on her neatly made bed.

He heard his sister laugh from nearby. She was busy putting away the few possessions she had in her pack. Already, she'd made it quite cozy in her room. Several pictures were hanging on the walls and she had a worn toss blanket she'd always had on her bed in the Church covering the bed.

"Don't you normally complain about Kratos' sun shiny disposition? You should take his change in attitude happily." She sat next to him, ruffling his curled red locks.

Scooting away, the teen sighed, "He was always the strong silent type. Now he's the talkative one?"

"If we're going on stereotypes, you're the annoying brat."

"And you're the annoying do-gooder."

She smiled, "I'll take that over a brat."

"Hey, just because I say it like it is doesn't mean I'm a brat. It just means I call out people's bull shit."

"That's right," she laughed, "_That's _what you do. I'd forgotten."

He playfully punched her in the arm, which earned him a similar jab. Soon, the two were poking at each other and Ilene was giggling up a storm. Luckily, she was ticklish and the red headed teen had figured out a long time ago how to ignore the sensation.

Soon, they were wrestling on the floor, chuckling and grinning from ear to ear.

After a second, Holtz was sitting on his sister's back, the Chosen laughing at him to get off.

"You're going to have to make me."

"Come on Holtz, move your big butt."

The teen grinned, "I take that offensively. Apologize to my butt."

She made a disgusted noise and giggled, "That's not happening."

"Then forever be my butt cushion."

She managed to topple him, the two twisting around on the ground again in good humor. It wasn't until the mercenary came to the door, knocking solidly against the frame, that the two of them stopped what they were doing and looked up at him.

"What is it, Gramps?"

"Ms Ross thinks a storm's coming. I wanted to inform you both."

Ilene untangled herself from her brother, "I see. Does she need help?"

The auburn shook his head, "I can assist if she needs it, otherwise, it's safer for you to remain here."

She nodded, though the teen scowled, "Why is she worried about some little storm?"

"Have you ever been to sea, Holtz?"

"No."

"Then you have no idea what the sea is capable of. The sea is a fickle woman, and her unprecedented change of attitude is feared by even the most seasoned sailors. The people who leave from her storms alive, Holtz," a pause, "are the ones who don't underestimate her abilities." The man turned and left, his shoes echoing off of the interior of the ship before finally fading into the distance.

Holtz twitched an eyebrow, "The sea is… a woman?"

Ilene sighed and shook her head, "You'll understand when you're older."

Half an hour later, the ship started shifting violently. It rocked back and forth, almost like it was a toy in a child's hands. The siblings finally situated themselves in the narrow hallways to keep from being tossed about like dolls.

Even in the interior of the ship, the two could hear rapid rain against the metal hull and gale force winds bellowing outside. Thunder rattled the air and Holtz felt like the entire ship might be torn apart. Part of him wanted to go up and do something about it, but the other part didn't want to budge. He felt glued to his spot in the hallway, tightly clenching his sister's hand as the ship took another vicious turn.

At least the lanterns were still working…

Something burst from down the hall and the lanterns flickered and soon faded out. Whatever had been fueling the light source had been destroyed and a chilled darkness fell upon them.

He just _had _to think about the lanterns working, didn't he?

Icy terror went through his nerves and finally, he managed to speak, "This can't be good."

He felt rather than saw his sister shake her head, "No. We need to get up there."

The two of them shakily stood, groping the walls as they advanced towards the deck. Rain pounded against the ship, Holtz having to shield his eyes as they reached the top. A crash of thunder echoed overhead all while there was a nonstop flicker of lightning.

Darkness swam all around them. It was as if the ocean itself had been dyed black, only making it appear as if the ship was being tousled by the inky abyss itself.

"Gramps! Hey Gramps!" The red headed teen called into the storm. He managed to make his way across the deck without being washed over by the constant tide that ripped across the metal frame. The mercenary was near Rin-Tins, who was tightly gripping the wheel.

It was she who responded, "About time you made it up here!"

"Sorry, we got distracted," the teen snapped back, but he was pretty sure his retort went unheard. A loud boom echoed overhead, the sea seemingly becoming fiercer with each sound.

Ilene snatched onto her brother's arm, "Are you going to be able to steer us through this storm?"

He was sure she was screaming right next to his ear, but it sounded like a whisper.

In a flash of lightning, Holtz saw the sandy blonde nod her head, "I'll get us through this storm or my name isn't Rin-Tins Ross."

A rather large wave crashed into the side of the ship, making the siblings fall to the ground. Instantly, a wave washed over, tugging Ilene off of the ship and into the ocean with a faint scream.

"Sis!"

Holtz dashed over to the side of the ship, not seeing where the tide had yanked his sister. Again, he called out to her, but his voice was lost over the exploding thunder.

Heart in his throat, the teen started climbing over the rail, the ship seemingly tipping with his decision.

Foot slipping from under him, he almost fell into the ocean as well, but a firm hand grabbed his arm, "No! Don't!"

It was the mercenary.

"Let go! Ilene was washed overboard!"

"There's nothing you can do for her!"

"Let go you bastard!"

Yet another wave collided with the ship, water catching the teen and jerking him from the auburn's grip and into the depths of the ocean.

Water washed over him, never allowing him to catch his breath. Gasping and flailing through the towering waves, he tried to stay afloat, but it seemed like the black water was sucking away his energy.

Desperate, he screamed, "Ilene! Answer me!"

Something violent dragged him under the sea, air escaping his lungs in a wail. Then, inky blackness was all around him. It was absolutely impossible to see. The icy water chilled his core and he found it difficult to move. He wasn't even sure he could swim towards the surface because he had no idea which direction it was.

Shit, he thought. Was he really going to die on this journey? It seemed a bit anti climatic, didn't it? Wouldn't it have been better to die in style? Protecting someone or something? No… he was going to drown because he was unable to save his sister.

_Ilene…_

Lungs burning in his chest, he limply clawed at the water, fighting without a purpose to escape.

Which way was up?

Was he near the boat?

Was Ilene safe?

Something rammed into him and any breath he'd been holding was released. Water filled his mouth and he coughed under the icy surface, feeling it penetrate into his lungs. It hurt, chest heaving in more and more water as if his brain couldn't understand that, by doing so, it was killing itself.

Holtz wanted to scream out in pure agony and terror, but never had the chance.

Everything slipped away.

…

…

…

_Something's burning. Something nearby is burning, but I can't see what it is. Are my eyes closed? No. I don't think so… someone is… covering me? _

_Words come to my mouth, but I don't say them. Perhaps it's all the ash in the air? Yes, that was it. All of the ash. I was told to be quiet. If I spoke, more could get into my lungs and that'd be a bad thing… _

_I don't understand._

_Why is that bad?_

_Burning. Everything is burning._

_It'll be fine._

_Someone says that, I'm sure of it._

_It's from a voice I recognize._

_It'll be fine._

_Is that… Ilene? No. No, that's not my sister. That… that couldn't be…?_

"Mom?" Holtz shot up in bed, the blanket that covered him flopping uselessly around his stomach. His heart hammered in his chest as his mind slowly faded from the dream, coming back to reality.

Gingerly, he placed a hand to his face.

How long had it been since he'd last dreamt about his mother?

Blinking slowly, memories of before started coming back. He'd been on a ship and a storm had hit. Then, Ilene had gone overboard and he'd jumped in to save her and then-

"That was quite foolish."

The voice caused the red headed teen to jump, and instantly, he looked to the left. Sitting on another bed was the mercenary. His auburn hair hung in his face and his arms were crossed over his muscular chest.

Holtz found his voice, "What was that, gramps?"

"I said that was foolish. You shouldn't have jumped in after your sister without a plan. You could have easily died."

"What does that matter to you? You don't like me anyways." Gray eyes glared at the auburn, but the look didn't get reciprocated.

Instead, the older man changed the subject, "the Chosen is safe."

Relief hit the teen, "Really? Where is she?"

"She's already up. She's exploring the city with Ms Ross."

"How was she saved?"

"She's quite the swimmer. She managed to stay afloat long enough for me to reach her."

"Then… you saved my life as well, didn't you?"

The auburn shook his head, "That was Rin-Tins. As soon as I pulled the Chosen onto the ship, Ms Ross handed the wheel off to me and leapt into the water. She saved your life. You should be thankful."

"Oh, so when I jump into the water, it's reckless, but when Rin-Tins jumps in, it's heroic?"

There was _almost _a smirk on the mercenary's face, "I suppose it's a matter of semantics." The man stood, "Regardless, the storm threw us off course. The ship has minor damage, so the two girls went to shop for the items Ms Ross needs to make the repairs. Meanwhile, we're making temporary camp here, at this inn."

Swinging his legs off the side of the bed, the teen stood, frowning slightly at the fact that he only reached the older man's shoulders, "What city is this, anyways?"

"It's the holy city of Risheal. It's on a peninsula, thick walls surrounding all sides of it. It's where the second largest Church of Martel is, next to Meltokio. Rumor has it that the Church sits on ancient relics from the Kharlan War and that those relics have the power to teleport you to the mythical world of Sylvarant."

Holtz squeezed his eyes shut in concentration.

Sylvarant? Wasn't that the place where equality supposedly reigned and that there was no war or poverty? The Pope usually spoke about it like another version of Heaven. And it was where Martel was supposed to reside… right?

"So… we're in another damned holy city, right?"

"Yes."

"Great. That's just great. Exactly where I want to be… in the middle of some town where everyone wakes up and greets Martel, eats lunch while blessing Martel and go to bed each night thanking Martel for the glorious day."

The mercenary didn't say anything. He didn't have too.

The teen strolled out of the inn, the sun greeting his eyes. All around, houses upon houses circled a large and ornamented Church. The dome seemed to shimmer with real jewels and all around it; people were bowing their heads in prayer.

Yeah. Exactly what he needed. A bunch of Martel worshipping freaks.

He supposed he could see the sights. Perhaps he could find something to do while Rin-Tins patched up the ship. With any luck, they could leave the place by nightfall.

The auburn kept pace, probably because he had nothing better to do than bother the teen, and the two strolled around the many active shops. The streets were filled to the brim with people of all shapes and sizes, origins and designed. It was surprising, how better off these people seemed, though he suspected that the towering walls hid them away from the world's problems.

It wasn't until late afternoon that he found one of the exterior walls. The dull metal shined a faded red, the sunset quickly setting behind the walls. The city darkened quickly, torches burning by every corner to keep the streets lit. Business was still booming, most of the walkways packed no matter how late the hour.

Holtz looked out over the city, absently wondering where Ilene was.

As if reading his mind, the auburn spoke up, "I bet the Chosen is repairing the ship right now."

The teen shrugged noncommittally, "Why do you do that?"

"Hmm?"

"Call Ilene 'the Chosen'. It's like you don't want to get close or something."

The mercenary paused, "It's her title. She is your sister, but she is my client. I address all of my clients' formally."

Making a soft noise, the red head responded, "You're actually pretty formal with everyone excluding me."

"Children don't deserve formalities."

Holtz was about to snap at the older man, but sighed instead. He simply didn't have the heart to fight at the moment. Instead, he gazed across the many rooftops of the city, "it's probably best that we left Ilene and Rin-Tins alone, you know? Sis has never had any female friends before. It's probably really exciting for her to have one."

Whether the mercenary noted the change in conversation or not, he didn't comment, instead, he simply nodded and turned away from Holtz. The man moved down the hillside, the teen following. It was when they passed one of the city's main gates that he froze.

Outside the walls, in the harsh sunset, was a small pack of Desians. They were snickering, several of them brandishing a weapon. They weren't focused on the city; instead, they were circled around a single person.

A female, pink hair tied in a loose pony tail and dressed as if she was travelling, was yelling at them from the middle. Her voice rose harshly from their laughter, "Give me back my mother!"

"What was that, girly? A half elf who wants her human mommy back? Pathetic!" He punctuated it by smacking the broad side of his sword against the woman's face. She let out a yelp and stumbled, barely catching herself.

"Stupid girl. Why don't you run back to the city if those humans love you so much."

Holtz felt something between sympathy and rage go through him. Without waiting to get the auburn, the teen charged out of the gate, drawing the short blade at his side, "Hey! Get away from her!"

The Desians were slow to react. The red head was able to stab one in the back before the others caught on. Instantly, he was engulfed, the enemies surrounding him and the woman.

"How dare you kill one of us!" One spat, the armor on his face seemingly too small, "You filthy human!"

Holtz didn't even flinch, "Go to hell."

Another one, this one slender, hissed while raising his blade, "Why don't you go there first and tell us how it is!"

The blade whistled through the air, but it never landed. Instead, Holtz was shoved out of the way, the woman bringing her arm up to stop the blow. The blade dug deep into her arm, but she barely flinched.

Her eyebrows furrowed over her deep red eyes, "You're just in the way."

The teen felt a spark of anger go through him, "Hey! I came here to save you." They stood, back to back, ready to face the opponents.

"I don't care about your 'knight in shining armor' routine. Go back to the hellhole you crawled from."

"That's no way to talk to the guy who saved your life."

One of the Desians spoke, "By order of Grand Cardnial Everence, you're hereby ordered to surrender."

"That really sucks," a smirk came to Holtz face as he swung his blade out, "because I've never been really good at following orders."


	14. Chapter 14

****A/N: Sorry this chapter is so late. Things have been busy for both myself and Emil Lime. I will not be posting on Wednesday because I'll be far too busy with life but I will be posting on Friday. So, be looking forward to that.

Thanks to all of the readers. We both appreciate you very much. If you feel inclined, leave a review.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

* * *

_Chapter by Emil Lime_

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_**Kratos Aurion: Chosen Project (Tethe'alla), Status Incomplete**_

The mercenary had noticed them. Taking note of their presence because of their possible involvement with a revolt at least two of the cardinals were involved in. Of course, taking note was different than taking action. He worked to avoid getting himself into sticky situations, and fighting off a group of desians who'd wandered just a little too close to town was something he'd classify as 'sticky'.

However, that didn't mean the younger redhead shared his feelings.

It'd only been a second that he'd taken his eyes off of him but that was all it took to lose Holtz. In a flurry of steps, Kratos turned in time to see that the young teen had made his way into the middle of the pile, along with a young woman.

"Holtz," he muttered under his breath, feeling a flare of anger inside his veins. This was exactly why he hated bringing companions along for the Chosen Journey. They _always_ got into trouble. Rushing towards the scene, his sword was out and ready in a matter of seconds, swinging back before slicing through a half-elf.

The teenager let out a gasp, "Well, look who decided to join in."

"You're being reckless, Holtz."

He frowned, "And you're being old. If you can't handle this, just leave it to me." Without another word, he dashed forward, red curls untwisting in the speed. Slicing his short blade in a half circle, he cut across several of the desians, each letting out a soft shout. Holtz didn't stop there, though, throwing his weight onto a spell caster, shoving his blade through the man's chest with a sickening crunch. Wedging the weapon free, he was barely able to slash a half-elf who'd grabbed for him, cutting the man across the hand.

He let out a howl, throwing himself backwards as others advanced.

Kratos, not wasting any time, drove his blade through the one with an injured hand, pulling his weapon back as he slashed some more. It didn't take long for several of the hoard to drop, injured or dead, and the auburn took advantage of that opening. "Grave!" Several spikes shot up, slicing the crowd that stood above it. With pain streaking the air, Kratos grabbed hold of Holtz and the female, pulling them closer to him.

"Don't stray," he warned, giving a venomous glare to Holtz, whom still looked as if he'd ignore the command.

"You should get away while you can," the girl spoke, ruby eyes examining the two warriors. "I can take care of this myself."

Looking her up and down, Kratos wasn't so sure about that. She had no weapons on her person, let alone some kind of transportation she could use to flee the fight. Running into town, the mercenary knew, would only lure the desians inside. If she were any level of intelligence, she wouldn't dare something like that. So how she was planning to manage the situation herself was beyond Kratos.

Shaking his head instead, the auburn said, "Leaving now would only aggravate the situation. It's best to hold our ground and take them out together."

Her eyes lowered, hopefully with realization that he was right. Looking forward, Kratos didn't have time to care what she thought. The desians were regrouping; those that were injured using healing magic to make themselves battle ready. Each was carrying contempt in their features, making the auburn strengthen his posture.

As if waiting for an imaginary signal, each side stood in silence.

Darting forward, Kratos broke the silence, swinging the steel blade in a mighty swoop, catching the flesh of numerous desians. Holtz was right behind him, twisting in a couple of circles while slashing his blade about. Desians were dropping to the ground, hitting the dirt with a puff of brown.

Clearing his blade of the filth, he sheathed it. That's when he heard the sound, causing him to turn. Right as his eyes met the desian's eyes, the man was down, collapsing into the ground right before the auburn.

To the side was the girl, leg held in a kicking position. That's when Kratos noticed it. Why he hadn't seen it earlier was concerning but none-the-less, he saw it now.

Exspheres.

One embedded in each boot and glove she wore. Lowering her leg, she looked at the mercenary with a blank expression. "You missed one."

_Color me impressed._

The last time he'd seen someone who fought with their fists was during the Kharlan War. It'd been a fighting style that was considered obsolete even at that time. Why fight with your hands and feet when a blade or a gun could end your opponent's life much faster? However, just because the vast majority of people deemed it useless didn't mean everyone did. Even Kratos himself had been trained in hand to hand combat. And, apparently, the art hadn't died with the separation of the two worlds as he'd suspected.

Holtz' footsteps alerted Kratos to his presence, the teen making it to the older man's side and giving off a smirk, "You almost died there, gramps. You sure you shouldn't sit this journey out?"

Not biting to the childish antics, Kratos instead bowed towards the girl, "Thank you."

"No problem. But you really shouldn't have gotten involved. You'll only make enemies with the desians."

Holtz crossed his arms, turning his head to look at nothing in particular, "It's not like they're already _not_ our enemies. Besides, when you're travelling with the Cho-"

"We couldn't sit idly by and watch it happen," Kratos interrupted, earning another glare from the redhead, "We simply did what was right." Stepping forward, he passed the two as he headed towards the city. Holtz let out a call but Kratos ignored him. If the teen wanted to lollygag around, he could. It wasn't like it was the mercenary's responsibility to watch after him. He wasn't his keeper.

Re-entering the city, he could see a couple dozen people gawking at him, obviously having just witnessed the events outside the protective walls. Deciding not to comment, he continued walking, even when he heard two sets of feet behind him.

"Hey," Holtz' voice was the last thing Kratos really wanted to hear, "Gramps." When Kratos didn't answer, the boy continued to talk to him, asking over and over for 'gramps' to answer. "Are you deaf or something? Answer me."

"What is it?" Giving in to Holtz' demands wasn't the smartest thing he could do but right now, he wasn't all that interested in listening to the teen make elderly people jabs. Quite frankly he was getting sick of it and if it wasn't for his everlasting temper, he'd have exploded on the kid by now.

The teen must have been shocked he'd gotten an answer since he paused before replying, "She needs our help."

It was the first time in a long while he had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Everyone needed help and with Holtz' little slip earlier; it wouldn't surprise him if this girl thought the Chosen could bless her or something. Regardless, he had to deal with this issue head on. Turning around, he gave a passive look to the both of them. "She needs help?" He tried to sound as neutral as possible, agitation creeping into his voice regardless.

"That's right, pops. She said she'll explain everything to my sister." Kratos could see the determination in Holtz' eyes, the girl standing right behind the redhead with the same determination. Forcing down a sigh, Kratos nodded.

"I suppose if the Chosen wishes to speak with this girl…"

"Her name is Esperanza." The teen corrected, something sweet as honey in his voice. Today was a day of firsts for Kratos, since he'd never head Holtz speak with such a lacking of hatred in his voice.

Correcting himself, the auburn continued, "With Esperanza, then who am I to say no." Turning on his heel, he continued forward. The two followed after him, their steps light within the massive city. Heading back to the Inn at which they'd made their home, Kratos sensed that the two girls had returned. Hopefully, he thought, they'd managed to get the supplies they needed to fix the ship.

Kratos wasted no time knocking on the door and entering Ilene's room, the red head girl and the sandy blonde sitting on a bed with tons of pieces scattered before them. The Chosen turned to see who was entering, a smile crossing her lips when her ocean blue eyes landed on Holtz.

"Look who's finally up," her tone was childish, earning a blush from the younger brother.

"Sis, please. I'm not a kid anymore." Kratos watched as she raised an eyebrow at her sibling, obviously a new response to her as well. So it wasn't Kratos' imagination. Something was up with Holtz. The teen wasn't going to say, however, as he walked forward and frowned at the work that was being done on the bed. Shaking his head as if to rid it of the thoughts that were rising, he spoke, "Sis, do you think you can help her?" Pointing back, all eyes landed on the pink haired Esperanza, whom was standing in the doorway.

She walked in then, long hair trailing behind her. There was something set in her eyes, though Kratos couldn't tell what it was. Stopping before the Chosen, she bowed slightly, "I have a very big request to make to someone like you, if you'll hear me that is."

Ilene furrowed her eyebrows, "I'll hear you out."

Kratos waited for the tense seconds to pass, being so palpable he could slice it with his sword. What could this girl possibly want?

"I need your help," Esperanza spoke, her voice soft, "With freeing my parents."

"You're…Parents?" Rin-Tins looked at the taller girl, eyes filled with curiosity. "What happened to your parents?"

More tension, which the auburn had deemed impossible, but the girl still spoke, "They were taken by the Toize Valley desians. I managed to get away but they…they weren't so lucky." Sadness crossed Esperanza's face before it disappeared into determination.

Taken by desians, a common story amongst the declining world's inhabitants. It'd always been something that bothered him, honestly. How so many lives were lost to create Exspheres. Unfortunately, it was a necessary evil, since Exspheres were created via human life and said stones were used to run Dherris Kharlan. Not only that, but they were used to barter and make deals with crooked politicians and church members. They were the sole key to Yggdrasill's success so far.

That didn't mean Kratos had to like it, he just had to live with it.

Esperanza gave a glance at all of them, "I know this is a lot to ask but I can't save them on my own." Though her features were stony, the auburn could see it in her eyes, a trace amount of pleading. She cared for them deeply, that much was clear to everyone.

However…

"I don't think that's wise," Kratos' voice caught everyone off guard, their heads twisting to see him better.

Rin-Tins spoke up, "What do you mean? She needs help. Besides, who says we can't go around kicking some desian butt while Ilene saves the world?"

Shooting her a glare, Kratos' voice was filled with intent, "Because, storming a ranch takes more than sheer will. It'd take months of planning, weeks of preparation and, ultimately, time she does not have. Regenerating the world will have the same effect as raiding the ranches, isn't that right?"

Dropping her gaze, Rin-Tins didn't answer. Holtz did, however. "It only takes a lot of time if you're using a big group of people. With a small group like this, we can go under their noses and break them out before the desians even notice we were there."

"Do you really think they'd keep their prisoners in a place that was easy to break through? If that were the case, those ranches wouldn't be operating right now." Holtz didn't back away, taking a step closer to the mercenary instead.

"Why are you so dead set in leaving them there to die?"

"Because if the Chosen dies there, then the entire world is doomed, not just her parents." He pointed towards Esperanza for effect.

The pink haired girl growled, "Maybe my parents don't mean a lot to you, but they sure as hell mean a lot to me."

Kratos looked at her, his eyes intense, "I understand what you're going through but that doesn't mean you can throw the Chosen into danger. It's very possible we could _all_ lose our lives in this endeavor. Is that what your parents would want?"

"I don't know what they'd have me do in this position, but I do know they wouldn't want to be trapped in a cage like some animal."

Ilene stood up, cutting off the argument, "Look, both of you have good points. Let me think on it for a little bit, okay?" She gave a sympathetic look to Esperanza, who flashed a glare before looking away. The redhead shook her head, curls twisting as she did. Then she walked towards the door before leaving, her hand not even bothering to close the door on the way out.

"Sis," Holtz ran after her, feet slamming against the ground before disappearing into the silence that suffocated the room.

Nothing passed between the three of them, none wishing to discuss what'd just happened. After a short moment, Kratos sighed, "The Chosen will meet you outside the lobby. She'll deliver her answer then," Esperanza didn't bother sharing eye contact, her boots turning her and taking her through the open doorway without another word.

The room's very walls seemed to relax when she left, the table and beds stretching out their wooden planks to take up the space they'd previously scurried from. Turning to look at Rin-Tins, she glanced at him as well.

"What are you going to do?" She asked, her voice catching him off guard.

"What do you mean, Ms. Ross?"

"I mean, what are you going to do if Ilene agrees to help that poor girl? Are you going to deny her protection because she's doing something you don't believe in?" That question, to Kratos, was a childish one but apparently held a lot of meaning to Rin-Tins.

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to respond. On the one hand, he couldn't let the red headed girl wander into a desian ranch when Martel-knows-who is working against Cruxis. But then again, on the other hand, he couldn't go along with it because she wanted to save some kid's parents. He'd have to put his foot down and demand that she reconsider.

Though, the more Kratos got to know Ilene, the more he realized she was oh-so-similar to Martel. That woman wouldn't abandon someone in need, so neither would Ilene. He supposed he'd just have to go with it. That was, if she said yes.

"We'll just have to see what the Chosen chooses to do."

The safest answer he could think of, though it didn't seem to satisfy Rin-Tins, who pursed her lips and placed her hands on her hips. "Right." Leaving it at that, she went to work on the scattered pieces of scrap lining the bed, not bothering to look at the mercenary again.

He took it as his cue to leave, stepping quietly through the door and doing what no one else had managed, closing it. Walking down the hall, he eventually reached the room he'd taken. Making his way inside, and making sure to lock it afterwards, he went to the shower.

Undressing quickly, he pulled himself into the warm embrace of the droplets, letting them soak away his problems.

He'd been told by someone he very much admired that a hot bath could solve anything. Although he'd doubted such words at first, he quickly found, after years of being a solider and decades of working with Cruxis, that it was true. The hot water cleaned away his troubles, allowing his mind to be free of thinking of anything.

Getting done, his hand reluctantly twisting the water off, he quickly dried himself and dressed before working over his hair in the mirror. It was really a lost cause, even Yuan said so. His hair had always been a mess and, to this day, that'd remained true. Leaving the small bathroom, he collapsed on the bed, wishing he could sleep.

That was something he'd never be able to do again and, on nights like these, he really wished he could. Closing his eyes, his mind ventured through the previous events, tumbling over the conspiracy he'd managed to uncover.

Two desian Grand Cardinals were betraying Cruxis. Huey and Vyra, the Foogi continent's heads. It came as a surprise to him, that those two would suddenly start getting along just enough to decide to betray their leader. From what he could tell during meetings, the two didn't exactly hate each other, but they weren't fond of each other either. Of course, that was how Kratos viewed most of the Cardinal's relationships with each other.

Never in his entire life had he met a pair that enjoyed the other's company. He suspected it had something to do with land and trade. It's hard to make a decent living when someone else is always stealing your flock. Especially on a shared continent, like the Foogi region, it put a restriction on how many people each ranch could cultivate.

Numerous times he'd listened to past cardinals complain about such things but never had he taken it into any consideration.

Could it be as simple as that? They simply wanted to up their quota and felt that revolting would bring them such a result? Maybe they wanted to force Cruxis into negotiations.

But that didn't feel right. Killing the Chosen wouldn't accomplish that, it'd only anger their leader. Capturing her would be their best option and yet…

He opened his eyes, darkness greeting him.

Evening had long since passed and now night was upon him. Sitting up, he rubbed at his eyes, angelic sight enhancing the abyss around him. He could feel it.

Something wasn't right.

Getting up, he made his way to the door, making sure to grab his sword along the way. Scanning the darkened hallway for sound, he was greeted with nothing. Stepping lightly, he made his way to Ilene's room, remembering the previous conversation he'd had with her and her companions. It hadn't been a pleasant one, the ending being a bit sour even still. However, Kratos realized he hadn't heard her verdict on the issue.

_Maybe she's decided to wait until morning, to sleep it off…?_

No. He already knew that wasn't right, the sinking feeling in his gut told him so. Gently and as quietly as he could, he opened the door, finding it unlocked. Glancing in, he saw no sign of Ilene or Rin-Tins, whom she was supposed to be sharing a room with.

His eyes instantly picked up on the white sheet, pure against the dark void around it. The moon captured it, making it dance crisply in his eyes. He didn't waste time entering, hands snatching up the item before reading over the words it contained.

Crushing it between his fingers, he growled, anger swelling inside of him.

This wasn't happening. She couldn't be serious.

Un-crumpling it and reading over it once more, he threw it down before making his way outside. The moonlight struck him as he flicked his way through the empty streets. He was seething, feeling that everlasting cool beginning to thaw. The print was still fresh in his head as he made his way across the massive bridge connecting the two land masses and through the large gate that sat as a greeter for the holy city.

_Kratos,_

_I've decided to help Esperanza. I know you won't agree with this but I feel that it's something I must do. After all, how can I claim to be the Chosen if I refuse to help those who are really in need? That's why Rin-Tins, Esperanza, my brother and I are going to save her parents. Please wait for me, I promise I'll be back._

_Ilene_

Recalling the words only made him angrier, causing him to pick up speed. Esperanza said they'd been taken to Toize, the mountain range that stringed itself along the lower half of the continent. That's where they'd be headed and that's where he'd go.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N:Now the chapters will return to their normal order of every Wednesday and Friday. Thanks to all of our readers!

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

* * *

_Chapter by Orangepotato_

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_**Ilene Capella: As the Chosen, it's my duty to save the world…**_

Darkness covered their movements, the moon hiding behind gray clouds that were suspended high in the air. Grass swished quietly under their feet, their breath misting as they continued towards the mountains. Ilene could see mountains rising up from the shadows and she felt her heart hammer a bit in her chest.

Even now, she couldn't completely erase the doubt that sat in the back of her mind.

I shouldn't be doing this, she whispered to herself. I should be focusing on my journey. It's like Kratos said, isn't it? I'm just wasting time doing this, aren't I? It's selfish to focus on one person when the entire world is suffering…

However, as she glanced over to Esperanza and her brother, the doubt drifted away. It was almost impossible to believe that what she was doing now was wrong. She was helping, just as the Chosen was supposed to do.

One life, hundreds, thousands, ultimately, she'd save them all.

She kept that thought in her head as they reached the mountains.

Rin-Tins spied it first, "There!"

She pointed in the darkness up the mountain side. It took the red head a second to see it, but as soon as her eyes adjusted, it was possible to make out the faint light that was coming from the inside of a cave that dug deep into the cliff side.

Esperanza whispered, "I'd guess that's the entrance. We need to find another way in."

"Who knows if there's another way in," Holtz commented, "We should just charge in there. We can take them."

It was Ilene who brought up the flaws of his plan, "There are only four of us, brother. And we're just trying to save Esperanza's parents, that's it. We don't want to alert the entire base that we're here."

"Come now, sis. As soon as you see all of those locked up souls, you'll want to save them all too."

Even though her brother's comment was in jest, it struck a chord with the Chosen. It was true. She knew that. How could she deny the people suffering inside? However, the teen hadn't meant for her to answer, he continued.

"Fine. We can look for another way in, but we have the night on our side. If we run out of time, we should just charge the place."

Everyone nodded and made their way up the mountain face. It wasn't a tough climb, the beginning mainly slight bumps and several large boulders. It did become steeper, but not impossibly so. They were nothing like the Foogi mountains from before. Instead, there were gentle slopes that led to their peaks.

An hour had passed by the time they heard Rin-Tins scream. Her sudden outburst shocked them all, and Ilene could only listen as the sandy blonde's voice descended, as if she'd fallen into a hole.

Holtz called out first in a harsh whisper, "Rin-Tins?" He shuffled over to where the girl had vanished, quickly calling the other two girls attention to it. "It seems like she found our other entrance."

She could tell there was a smirk on the teen's face.

Esperanza squatted next to him, "Yeah. I can faintly see the bottom of the hole."

Ilene was the only one to call down to check on the poor girl though. She got a positive reply, so the three carefully climbed down, meeting a rocky hallway. It was lit with torches every several feet, going both ways till it was impossible to see them anymore.

Gravel shifting under their feet, they picked the right, heading down the cramped space.

"Man it's narrow," the red headed teen commented.

"Don't worry," Ilene comforted her brother even though he was in the back of the group and she was leading, "I'm sure it'll get bigger after a little while."

The four travelled in silence after that. The only noise the Chosen picked up was her brother occasionally scoffing at something or Rin-Tins giving a slight 'awe'. Esperanza was stonily silent. Honestly, the red headed girl was curious about the pink haired companion. Where did she come from, what was her life story? Perhaps most of all, she wanted to know why there was such a strange air between the two of them.

Even though Ilene had been asked for help, it almost seemed like the she'd ended up owing a debt. It just didn't feel like there was any thanks from the other girl for the action.

Dismissing it, the Chosen noted a change in the air. It seemed thinner and cooler, unlike the mountain air she'd grown accustom to breathing.

Halting the group, she muttered, "We're close."

Even their breathing seemed to stop as they approached what looked like a security wall. The narrow hallway opened up like Ilene had thought and exposed large metal doors with no sign of a key hole. She stared in wonder.

"It must be controlled electronically," Esperanza stated, looking over the walls. They reached up into the earth and probably several feet below. It was defiantly a safe guess to say the wall couldn't be dug around.

"How the hell do we get through it?" Holtz tapped his foot irritably, crossing his arms. He glared up at the wall, as if his steely gaze could destroy it.

Ilene shrugged, "I'm not quite sure."

It was Rin-Tins who offered an answer, "Perhaps we could try neutralizing the components inside of it."

"Neutralizing the what now?" The red headed teen made a face, but the girl hardly noticed.

"The components. I bet this wall is old. We could probably set a charge to it that'll disengage the locks. It'll just take a few currents and then we should be able to change over the parallel sidings and make them flow inversely. That'll switch the locking mechanism into opening easily opposed to with a negative charge."

"You're going to have to speak in plain terms."

The sandy blonde smirked and walked forward, pulling a large wrench from her pack. It was half her arms length, but the shaft fit comfortably in her hand. She twirled it around twice, a circle of mana twisting around her feet. Hues of purple floated up from the ground, flowing towards the door as she called out a low level spell.

"Lightning!"

Instantly, the door sizzled and she kicked the metal with her foot. It glided open noiselessly and with a small cheer, she stuffed the wrench back into her pack. All Holtz could do was stare.

Ilene suppressed a laugh, "That was... unique."

Rin-Tins walked forward, calling over her shoulder, "Hey, sometimes weapons have to be convenient too."

"That's hardly convenient," Ilene heard her brother murmur, but he followed after without another complaint. He kept pace, Esperanza beside him. The Chosen followed behind them all, hand gripping her hilt. They were getting further into danger, so they all needed to be on guard.

Soon enough, they made it into the heart of the base. Desians were roamed the halls, though many were probably sleeping since it was still early morning. Their red uniforms contrasted with the bleak gray walls, making them easy to spot. That was the only plus side.

Rin-Tins whispered as they hid in a back corridor, "Where are they holding the prisoners?"

Esperanza shrugged, "I've never been here before."

Ilene scanned the area again, blue eyes falling over every detail. Where were they going, indeed? She'd never seen the inside of base, so she didn't even have a guess as to where to head. They could continue to dodge the Desians and continue looking around, or they could ambush one of the sentries and figure out that way. The latter was probably the fastest way to get information, but the most risky.

They could easily alert the entire base.

Her brother spoke up, "Come on, let's grab one of the Desians and force the information out of him."

Why had she known her brother would take the violent approach?

"Brother, consider the alternatives first."

"What alternatives?"

"Sneaking around."

"As if we have time, sis. This place is crawling with these creeps. Let's just get the information."

Esperanza shook her head, "I agree with the Chosen. We shouldn't try to raise an alarm. Let's keep searching."

The red headed teen gave a long sigh, but nodded.

Ilene found it odd that her brother was giving in so easily. Then again, he'd been acting strange ever since Esperanza came into the picture. With a smirk, she realized why that was. Unfortunately, she couldn't comment on it now, she didn't want to make a scene. That, and it wasn't the place.

Mentally, she noted she'd broach the topic later and then scurried through several thin passage ways, everyone gliding along after her.

They ended up having to make several detours and back track many times, but eventually they located the prison block. They'd managed to find the court yard where some of the prisoners were allowed into and followed it towards a small door that led to an overcrowded place.

The smell was the worst. Ilene almost gagged as they entered. It smelled of death, rot and disease. The noise was next. Moans and sobs permeated the air along with the wails of children and the hushed murmur from the crowd.

As her eyes fell upon the cells and cells of people crammed behind each iron gate, she felt nausea swarm her.

She'd always known it was bad, but this was horrible.

Esperanza was quick to react, "Mom? Dad?" She called into the room, most of the people ignoring her. They almost seemed like they couldn't be bothered. Not even curiosity graced their eyes. Instead, their eyes were lifeless and cold.

Ilene shuddered.

"Mom?" The pink hair girl called again, frantic.

They all descended several flights of stairs, finally making it to the base floor. It was even worse seeing the number of cells that the base had. Part of her began to wonder if there were even more rooms like this one.

Suddenly, there was a shift in the air and the Chosen felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle. She instantly jumped out of the way as a large fireball consumed the area she'd just been occupying. Snapping her attention to where the mana had started from, she caught the eye of a very tall and thin man.

She likened him to a twig, his arms and legs certainly smaller than that. His hair was long and red, a silver streak serving as his bangs. With a smirk, his golden eyes lit up and he leapt down onto the ground floor.

"I guess you are the Chosen," he said, his voice like honey. It smoothed over Ilene's mind and she found herself physically shaking it off.

"Who are you?"

"The lord of this camp, though you probably don't know my name." Without hesitation, he charged forward, bringing his weapon –a long scythe – up to Ilene's throat. It would have cut straight through the soft flesh, but the red head was faster. She brought her blade up and clashed it with the man's weapon before he could kill her.

The two leapt apart, the rest of the group coming to her aid.

"What the hell?" Holtz yanked out his bow, readying an arrow, "Get away from Ilene, you bastard!"

The man grinned, "Ilene? That's a pretty name? Pretty like your face."

The Chosen scowled. Was he seriously trying to flirt?

Esperanza was the one who retorted, "You're Everence, aren't you?"

The leader, Everenece, nodded, "My, my, the lovely lady has done her homework. Everence, otherwise known as the Grim Reaper."

Her brother snapped, "Shut the hell up and die!" He shot a barrage of arrows towards the Cardnial, the man easily jumping out of the way. However, Holtz tossed his bow to the ground and zipped out his blade, clashing it with the man's weapon.

Rin-Tins was fast to join in. Her wrench was out and swinging it through the air once, green mana flowed around her, "Air thrust!"

The air around Everence gelled and cleaved him in several directions, though most missed as the red headed teen continued his up close assault.

"I don't fancy myself for boys," the Cardnial snapped, lashing his weapon out in a large arc. The blade cut Holtz across the side and stomach, the teen barely managing to twist out of the way before being cut in half. "So why don't you move along?"

"Shut up!" The teen screamed, lunging forward once more. The two continued clashing metal, Ilene readying her own blade.

"Esperanza, free the people. We'll hold him off."

The pink haired girl didn't argue. She disappeared from the Chosen's vision, leaving her to focus. Her heart was beating rapidly, adrenaline and fear coursing through her veins. This was the first time they'd be facing such a powerful foe without Kratos. Absently, she wished the mercenary was with them. If they hadn't run off without him…

She didn't have time to think.

Everence flipped towards her, slashing his weapon down.

Jumping to the left, Ilene swung her blade out, the tip nicking the man's side as he did another flip to dodge her attack. Holtz followed after and she followed, both of them locking weapons with the Cardnial.

"Well, if you two _want _to double team me…" There was a smirk on his face that made Ilene dislike him more.

"Violent pain!"

A spell suddenly ripped through the man, making him stumble backwards. The dark tendrils grabbed at the Cardnial as they slid back into the floor, nearly dragging him with them. He managed to catch himself, but not before Ilene slashed her blade down, the edge cutting down into his shoulder.

Everence let out a holler, yanking himself backwards. He gave a soft snicker, "Well, well, well. Naughty, aren't we? Triple teaming me? And without permission?"

It was Holtz who charged forward next, "You disgusting pervert!" He slammed his blade into the Cardinal's ready defense. The weapons bounced off each other and the red headed teen was forced back.

The Chosen quickly took her brother's place, though. Her red hair twisted as she turned and cut through the man's defenses, giving him another jagged cut along his arm. He was quick to recoil though, cleaving his scythe into Ilene's side.

She let out a scream, pain erupting inside of her. The sensation was intense, but it quickly ended. Instinctually, she lashed out, stabbing the man in the stomach.

He doubled over, taking his scythe along with him, and Ilene jumped back a few feet. She was breathing hard, but the pain had already begun to die down.

"You're quite powerful," Everence commented, a tension in his voice as he looked up at them, "But lovely ladies always are, aren't they?"

"Why don't you just give up then?" Rin-Tins asked. Her guard was still up, a spell obviously on her lips.

"Give up? Come now, don't you know the first rule of a fight? Never give up. Isn't that heroics 101?"

Holtz spat, "You're hardly a hero."

"I may not be a saint, but then again, I never wanted to be." He gave a short laugh and he stood erect. It became quickly apparent that all of his wounds were healing. Each gash began to sizzle and the blood ceased to flow. The skin easily mended itself, soon the only evidence he'd been in a fight being the remaining blood on his clothes.

Ilene felt her heart skip a beat.

Everence smirked, "This is why they call me the Grim Reaper, you see? I'm not easily killed, though I do easily kill…" He dashed forwards, energy renewed. He brought his scythe up around Ilene's neck, ready to decapitate her, "on the battlefield, or in bed, my sweet, I always get my kill."

The rest happened in slow motion.

Ilene felt the blade press against the back of her neck, life flashing before her eyes. She could see her mother and father, then the terrible fire that swept across Meltokio. Everything was burning and then, the peace of the sanctuary caught her eye. From there, years of memories flooded her brain. Happy ones, sad ones, all of them leading up the moment where she sat as an omnipresent being, watching her own demise.

Then, a blast of heat coursed in front of her. She instinctually leaned her body away from it, feeling that the scythe was no longer there to hold her in the same place. Her palms and arms burned, some of her clothing charred away, but she collapsed on the floor as Everence let out a howl.

He was on fire, thrashing around until the flames dwindled out.

Behind him stood Esperanza, her hand extended and red mana slowly fading away from her feet.

"Ilene!" She shouted, "Move! Now!"

Doing as she was told, the Chosen got on her feet and ran towards Holtz, who quickly snatched her by the arm and pulled her behind him.

She could see the tension in his shoulders as he kept his sword at the ready.

The Cardnial was on the floor, the flames still eating away at his skin as he let out a raw scream.

The Chosen covered her ears to the noise, feeling her insides rattle at the sight. She was nauseous, head swirling as she tried to look away but found she couldn't. Her eyes were trapped on the horrible sight before her.

Inside, she felt a strange desire to help him. To at least stop that terrible pain, but she never had a chance to voice it.

Instantly, water splashed over him from far away. Everyone turned around and Ilene saw yet another man standing on the higher floor. Instantly, her heart ceased in her chest. This man… he was truly evil.

Black hair hung down to his shoulders, blonde strands peaking from the abyss. His eyes were a shimmering gold and his body was lithe yet muscular. His outfit was colored dark blue and gray, only contrasting his pale skin. The demonic smirk on his face was only outset by the resentment in his features.

"Now, now, Everence. That's no way for the Grim Reaper to compose himself." His voice was smooth and melodic, riding up and down the Chosen's ear with ease. As he continued, it seemed like every single one of his words filled the room and absorbed the oxygen, "I would have thought you would be capable of taking care of the Chosen for me."

Ilene felt her brother tense next to her. Part of her wanted to turn and see what was bothering him, but the new comer's presence didn't allow it.

Everence finally spoke up, a hint of pain still coloring his voice, "Her friends are persistent."

"Then get rid of that persistence."

"It isn't that easy."

"It never is, Everence, but that is _never_ an excuse." He sounded angry, but the anger was covered in deep layers of tenor and rich tone.

Holtz breathed, "I know him…"

Shock went through Ilene and she whispered, "what?"

Everence responded snidely, "Why don't you come down here and take care of them yourself then? Don't they say 'if you want something done right, do it yourself'?"

Her brother barely spoke, something terrified in his voice, "He was at the Church."

The new comer responded to the Cardnial, "I shouldn't have to worry about having that mentality when I'm working with you, should I?"

Ilene felt confusion rush through her. The man had been at the Church? What did that mean?

"Let me introduce myself, Chosen… Holtz…" the man said, staring directly at them. Ilene felt her brother jolt at the new comer saying his name. Fear clutched at her heart as a grin split the man's face, "My name is Jacques. It's a pleasure, of course. And it'll be a pleasure to see you die."


	16. Chapter 16

A/N:Thanks to our wonderful readers! If you feel inclined, go ahead and leave a review.

Enjoy,

Orangepotato and Emil Lime

* * *

_Chapter by Orangepotato_

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_**Esperanza Loretta: Reality is black and white. Perception is gray. At least, in my understanding…**_

"My name is Jacques. It's a pleasure, of course. And it'll be a pleasure to see you die."

Jacques voice resonated off of every wall; making it seem as if he was everywhere in the room, regardless of what Esperanza's eyes were seeing. She had the gnawing sensation to turn around, to see if he was, indeed, standing behind her as well, but she didn't dare.

She was well aware of the dangers she'd impose on herself by doing so.

However, she still felt as if his voice was tickling the back of her neck.

The Chosen spoke, her voice barely denting the man's presence, "What are you doing here?"

She sure put up a great false bravado.

The man answered, "I'm sure I was clear, Chosen." He didn't sound impatient, but he looked it. There was an anger that seethed from his body, though he exhibited a huge amount of control over it. It was almost like he'd locked himself away in a shell, allowing only a fraction of his real power to funnel out.

Swallowing audibly, Esperanza knew they couldn't continue like this. With Everence healing and a new enemy, there was no way they'd be able to free everyone and escape. In retrospect, it seemed dumb to sneak into the base. She hadn't even been able to find her parents, and now they were cornered.

Trapped like mice and the man on the balcony had the eyes of a hungry cat.

"Grave!" Earth sprouted from the ground below Jacques, the man effortlessly jumping out of the way. He landed on the stairs, glaring up at the spot he'd previously occupied in front of the door. Moments later, in the dust of the attack, someone entered the room.

Ilene shouted when she caught sight, "Kratos!"

It was time to move.

Instantly, Esperanza stretched a hand before her, summoning blue mana to her finger tips. Water formed around her as she shouted, "Aqua edge!" The spell shot straight for Everence, who barely had time to throw up a defense. "Chosen, run!"

It wasn't like she wanted to save the girl's life, but she and her brother were the most injured. It was all the pink haired girl's fault for dragging them into this, so she'd make sure they made it out.

It was Holtz who denied it, "Not without you, Esperanza."

Frustration mounted in her. Why couldn't he just go? Was he scared he'd get lost or something?

"Holtz, leave. Now. I'll catch up. Go with that mercenary." She summoned another spell, sending it in the Cardinal's direction with a shout. The man was far more prepared this time, blocking the attack and running forward. Calling on the strength of the exspheres planted in her gloves and boots, she dashed forwards and landed several punches on the man before getting in a round house kick. Everence blocked the last of her attack, sending the scythe barely over her head.

Dropping to the ground, she kicked straight up, catching him in the stomach. It didn't seem to faze him, but he didn't scoot back some and all the while, she leapt up and started jabbing.

She felt rather than saw more spells going off. Since she was focused, she couldn't tell who'd casted the spells. Instead, she hoped it was either Rin-Tins or Kratos. Secretly, she hoped they were also getting out without being chased.

Chances were slim though.

Aiming for the Cardinal's face, she landed the blow before he could blink, sending him back several feet. He landed loudly on his back, letting out a whimper.

He certainly wasn't down, but she'd take the moment that presented itself.

She made it back to the control panel she'd been working on before. It was far too complicated for her, so she gave up on the cautious route she'd taken before. Now, she clicked every key possible, a loud whistle finally signally the cells opening.

Whirling filled the air as the gates retracted and people began filing out. Some were in shock, others had fear on their features.

She shouted to them, "Follow me! I'll get you out of here!" Whether she actually would remained to be seen, but it was a better idea than releasing them to fend for themselves. At the very least it'd cause a commotion that'd further distract anyone who could stop Ilene or her companions.

Tossing her ruby eyes over, she saw that her companions were gone, including Jacques.

Shaking her head, she knew she couldn't be bothered with it.

"Come on!" She signaled them up the stairs, all of them getting the idea. In a quick panicked dash, they all charged their way up the stairs, some people getting crushed under the feet of others. Fear and terror washed through her, but Esperanza didn't have a second to ponder it. Instead, she felt something slam into the back of her head.

Stars swarmed her vision and she collapsed on the ground, barely catching herself on her hands and knees.

Everything went numb for a second and then tingled. Words wouldn't process right, so she didn't even have a chance to scream when she felt something rip into her side.

The next moment, she was on her back, eyes tracking Everence's movements. He'd fully recovered, scythe in his hands. He was speaking, but his words sounded muted. Soon enough though, they came in full blast.

"That's just too bad, honey. I guess I'll have to treat you myself!" He raised his weapon and slammed it into her stomach.

Letting out a raw scream, she could hardly make her body function enough to struggle. Already, she could feel her energy leaving her with every drop of blood that ran from her wound.

_Is this how everything's going to end?_

It was probably the most fitting death possible for someone like her. A half elf.

"I'll see you in my dreams," the Cardinal sneered, his handsome face twisted in a smirk. He yanked his weapon and out was about to crash it down on Esperanza's head-

_Am I really going to die here?_

She never got the chance to close her eyes.

Everything went black.

…

…

…

"Do you think she's going to make it?" It was a light male voice. He sounded overly concerned, yet the tone was very familiar.

A female voice responded, this one foreign. It was soft, yet demanding, "I don't know."

Another male voice, this one strong and deep, "Settle down, Holtz. There's nothing you can do for her now."

"Shut up, gramps!" The light voice –yes. Holtz – shouted. "Now tell me, damn it, is she going to live?" Desperation clung to every word and suddenly, Esperanza could feel something warm against her hand. It was as if someone was holding it. "Stay with me, damn it. Stay with me!"

"Holtz," this voice was soft and familiar, "Be strong."

A high pitched voice chorused her agreement, "Yeah, Ilene's right. All you can do is be strong for her right now. We're doing everything that we can…"

The unfamiliar voice this time, "Yes. And your constant worry is throwing off my magic. Calm yourself unless you want her to die." The words were harsh.

Esperanza felt something prickle against her eyelids.

Sunlight, perhaps?

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"Ah! She's waking up!" Holtz called.

They were outside the Toize mountains. Grass was under Esperanza, people surrounding her on all sides. The sun was just beginning to come over the horizon, casting everything in a harsh shadow. Even with the fleeing darkness though, she could tell there were tears in the red head's eyes.

Ilene spoke up next. She was sitting next to her brother, a smile on her face, "Esperanza, how are you feeling?"

She tried to speak, but words failed her. It was the unfamiliar person who responded instead. She was sitting on her knees next to the pink haired girl, hand extended over the grievous wound that she'd received. Warm white mana flowed from the woman's finger tips as she looked at the Chosen with a steely gaze, "She shouldn't speak. Just because she's awake doesn't mean she's better."

The woman had long brown hair and an elaborate dress. Her hair hung freely down her face and back, a few ribbons weaving their way through the locks. Her eyes were slanted and a haunting violet color. Her lips were pressed into a slight frown and her features were concentrated.

It was Kratos, who was standing near Esperanza's feet, who commented next, "Yes. As soon as she's healed, she'll still have to take it easy. Healing is better than modern medicine, but it doesn't hold up well for the first twenty four hours."

Ilene nodded, "Yes. You're right."

Esperanza felt her hand being squeezed again, so she shifted her focus to Holtz. He had her hand tightly gripped in his own.

"You really scared us back there," he stated, "I came back just in the nick of time. Everence had you pinned…"

_So Holtz saved me?_

The unfamiliar woman spoke, the mana slowly fading from her fingers, "There. That's the best that I can do. She'll need lots of rest, but she'll be able to travel, but I warn against fighting."

Rin-Tins, who was standing behind the new comer, smiled, "At least she's alive."

Ilene helped the pink haired girl sit up. The world span a little, but quickly straightened itself. It was Holtz who got her to her feet.

Now standing, she felt her voice return, "Thank you, Holtz."

The teen nodded and she felt a small smile threaten her face. Turning away from him, she met the eyes of the woman. Instantly, she senses the dislike and she frowned.

So the woman was an elf?

As if Kratos was reading her mind, "What is an elf like yourself doing outside of Heimdall?"

The woman perked up to that, "I was traveling when I was captured."

The man seemed to notice the same hostility that Esperanza had, "And what made you stick around?"

It was obvious they were the only two who sensed it and the only ones who were questioning the woman's motives. The other three quickly interjected when the mercenary placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Hey, gramps, leave her alone."

"Kratos, she hasn't done anything wrong."

"You shouldn't try to cut her into pieces, Mr. Kratos."

The auburn raised a hand to silence the objections, "Chosen, you should never trust anyone, even if they offer help. She could very well be after your life. I suggest you think carefully about your next move."

Ilene shook her head, "She helped us, didn't she?"

"Yes, Chosen. She did."

Holtz agreed, "She saved Esperanza's life. Why would someone evil do that?"

The obvious sarcasm that would naturally go along with Kratos' comment was lacking, though it seemed to hang in the air, "I don't know. Perhaps because she could be manipulating you into trusting her?"

"You sure that doesn't come from some olden day folklore or something?" The teen waved a dismissive hand, "Sides gramps. I'm a good judge of character. I think she's fine. If anyone was manipulating us, it'd be you."

"Holtz, you're a child. You still have a lot to learn."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Esperanza raised a hand, "Enough." They both stopped instantly, though Holtz sent his share of glares over to the older man. "I agree with Kratos. I'm a half elf. Why did you save me?"

She'd been expecting shock or some sort of horrid gasp at her statement, but all she got was contemplative silence. What the hell was wrong with these people? They agreed to help her into the Desian stronghold and then don't care that she's a half elf?

Maybe they weren't listening.

"Answer me," she stated. "Elves and half elves get along worse than Humans do with my kind. You had to have an ulterior motive for coming to my aid."

The woman stood, shoulders ridged. It was obvious that she was battling something inside her mind, as if she still hadn't made a decision on it.

Finally, she said, "It is possible that I'll need help from the Chosen."

Kratos interjected, "The Chosen cannot simply run around the countryside doing other people's bidding."

"I'm well aware of that, but if I didn't think I'd need her help, I wouldn't be asking."

The auburn seemed almost upset at the turn in the conversation, but Ilene interrupted, "What do you need help with?"

Before the woman could answer, Esperanza shook her head, "Why don't you tell us your name first?"

Almost like she was taken aback by being asked a question by a half elf –_Ah, there's her revulsion_ – she quickly composed herself, though not hiding the scorn on her face, "It's Yahne. And I heard while inside the base that Heimdall was going to be attacked."

A small amount of shock went through the pink haired girl. She didn't care for the city at all, but for someone to want to attack it? Elves were nasty creatures, but they never came out of their home to bother people.

"Is it a Desian attack?"

Yahne nodded, but didn't say anything.

The Chosen furrowed her brow, "We can't allow that to happen."

The mercenary intervened, "Chosen, I don't mean to be rude, but you can't stop your journey just because someone needs help. The entire world needs you as well, don't forget that. You're being selfish for ignoring your duties as the Chosen."

Hurt was evident on the red haired girls' face, but she spoke calmly, "I understand what you mean, Kratos, but Yahne helped us, so why can't we help her?"

Esperanza wasn't surprised when Holtz defended his sister, "She's right. The journey's a stupid waste of time anyways. We just freed a bunch of people from a camp. That's more useful than Ilene traversing the world looking for seals."

A growl almost escaped the auburn, "And when those people get recaptured by the Desians?" The siblings swallowed and the older man noticed. He sighed, "I ask that you reconsider your objectives, Chosen. The will of the people is strong, but the will of Martel is stronger. Your priorities need to reflect your desires."

The pink haired girl looked over at Ilene, who was staring at the ground. Somewhere, she managed to find sympathy for her.

She didn't much care for the Chosen. It was easy for someone to go around and attempt to save the world. When it failed, they were dead and didn't have to suffer any more on the planet they'd left behind. Decades passed between each failed Chosen and it seemed like it was impossible for one to complete the Journey… even now, Esperanza doubted Ilene's strength.

It seemed that she was alive only because of a few well timed events…

Sighing, Esperanza cut to the chase of the argument, "Are you helping or not? That's all there is to it. If you're trying to think about more than that, Chosen, then you're thinking about too much."

Ilene perked up at that, but didn't say anything.

Rin-Tins gave her opinion, "Isn't Flanoir across the way from Heimdall? Past Altamira? The ship's ready and packed away in a wing pack, so it's just a matter of unloading her into the water somewhere. Couldn't we help the Elves and then make our way to Flanoir? It really isn't that much out of our way…"

Confidence filled the Chosen, "Rin-Tins is right. Kratos," she faced the mercenary and bowed, "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble, but this is something I have to do. Please try to understand. We'll continue on the journey immediately afterwards. I promise."

"And if there's another person who offers their aid and then wants something in return?" The man was obviously uncomfortable with the decision, but it wasn't like he could say no.

Esperanza felt sorry for the bastard.

"Then I'll tell them that I'll help when I regenerate the world."

The answer didn't appear to make the man feel better, but he said no more.

Holtz was actually the next one to speak up, "Alright. Let's get going then!"

The group started moving away, but the pink haired girl held back. It was time to leave. She couldn't bother them with sticking around and besides, she needed to find her parents…

"Esperanza, aren't you coming with us?" Ilene questioned.

Surprised, the girl furrowed her brow, "I have more important things to do."

The red headed brother raised an eyebrow, "Like what?"

She didn't even bother hiding the sarcasm in her voice, "I don't know, finding my parents."

He didn't seem bothered, "They're probably in the small town nearby. Gramps said he heard that's where most of the camp's prisoners went that way. I'm not sure _how _he heard it, considering he's ancient, but whatever."

Esperanza wasn't sure if she was happy about the turn of events or not, but shrugged. She supposed they'd travel to the next city together and that was it. Perhaps she could locate them there, though deep in her heart, she had a sinking feeling that they were already dead. She hadn't seen them in the made dash from the ranch and even now, it didn't seem like they were looking for _her. _

There was sorrow in that thought, but she didn't dare voice it. Weakness wasn't something she could show... not now, not ever. It was something her parents had taught her. The world was a rough and terrible place. Fight to survive, the motto of the land.

She frowned.

It was probably for the best to separate from the group now. Cut the feeble ties that were trying to form, and then... what? There really wasn't a plan after that. She could search the world for her parents but the dread of truly finding out they were dead? Perhaps ignorance really was bliss.

Looking over to the group, she mulled over it. Even with one of them being the Chosen and the other now being an Elf… they weren't all bad. Holtz, Kratos and Rin-Tins were tolerable.

Stepping forwards, she brushed past Yahne and stood next to Holtz and Ilene, "Fine. I can at least walk with you that far."

Holtz seemed more happy than necessary at that comment, "Alright! Yet another person to talk to other than old man gramps." He grinned like child and Ilene shook her head.

"Isn't 'old man gramps' redundant?"

"Nah, he needs to be called that because he's super old."

Esperanza felt a small chuckle rise in her, but she stifled in quickly. At the very least, she could travel with them until she figured out what she was going to do. Besides, the Chosen was going to unlock the seals... if she even made it that far. But Esperanza knew that the travel could land her on a different continent. Some new scenery would do wonders.

As they walked, she let her eyes travel over the horizon. Beyond the vast sky waited Heimdall. The land of Elves. A place she wasn't welcome. However, it was under attack, and if nothing else, that was intriguing.

Yes. She could _at least _stick around for that.


End file.
